CBS News states that Police in the U.S. killed 164 Black people in the first 8 months of 2020. Helpfully, they provide a list of their names. Let's look at the circumstances of a random selection of ten names, shall we?
Had it coming
- Dreasjon Reed
- High speed chase, ran away, had gun in waistband, gun was discharged twice, police shot him after Taser didn't work.
- Zyon Romeir Wyche
- Actually seems to have killed himself, after firing rounds at officers after a traffic stop and running away
- Dominique Atwon Anderson
- Attacked his brother with a machete, charged a police officer, was shot.
- Malcolm Xavier Ray Williams
- Grabbed a gun and shot at an officer after a routine traffic stop with his heavily pregnant partner (the driver).
- Lewis Ruffin, Jr
- Didn't want to go back to jail after domestic violence and weapons charges; shot at deputies, who killed him
Accident / Medical issue
- Tina Marie Davis
- Officers attempted to detain Davis after responding to a call about a woman breaking car windows and found her chasing one of the 911 callers with a stick; officers tasered her, she subsequently died.
- Devan Austin Twilley
- Car chased by police after apparently forcing his way into a house and threatening the occupants, crashed fatally.
Apparent police misconduct
- Breonna Taylor
- (The famous no-knock shooting case). Maybe the police didn't violate the law, but something still really needs to change in these kind of heavily armed home entries.
Seems excessive but not unjustified
- Tommie Gale McGlothen
- Died apparently from stimulent use / severe mental health episode, but police should have checked on him when in patrol car after he'd been tasered and mace'd.
- Maurice S Gordon
- Mental health episode, struggled with officer and might have gone for his gun. Needed mental health help, but it wasn't recognized.
Summary
It would be nice if CBS News actually did some journalism to highlight the specific cases that indicate a need for changes in police behavior, rather than bulking out the list with a) people who clearly had it coming and b) essentially random deaths which nothing could really prevent other than not arresting anyone who did violent things.
But I guess they're too busy shilling...
