This Is How Many People Police Have Killed So Far This Year
by Carimah Townes
At least 550 people — many of whom were unarmed and/or
mentally ill — have been killed by police in the first six months of the year.
A Guardian database, which puts the figure at 545, shows Caucasians have been
killed more than any other race or ethnic group this year, but blacks and
Latinos have been killed at higher rates. Nearly 120 people were unarmed. And
by the Washington Post’s count, 461 people have been shot and killed by an
on-duty officer.
In June alone, cops killed 75 people. At least 60 of
those people were shot.
The growing count is alarming, yet there’s also been a
proliferation of databases tracking lethal police encounters more closely than
ever. Law enforcement has been killing people for decades, however a dearth of
reliable national data obscured the number deaths caused by police in years
past. But with police brutality becoming more visible, thanks to social media
and traditional news media, the need to catalog relevant demographic and
geographic information about victims has quickly become a national priority.
You can read about some of the more egregious cases in
February, March, April, and May, but here are some of the heinous incidents from
the past month.
Deng Manyoun; Louisville, KY: One of the “Lost Boys of
Sudan” who immigrated to the U.S. to escape a brutal civil war, Manyoun was
shot and killed for rushing at an officer with a 7-foot flag pole. The
35-year-old was stumbling on a sidewalk when he was approached by Officer
Nathan Blanford, who was driving by in a squad car. Surveillance footage shows
the two arguing before Manyoun disappears and returns with the pole. Manyoun
then swings the pole at Blanford, who fires his weapon twice. Manyoun died of
gunshot wounds, at a local hospital.
Amid public backlash, Louisville Metro Police Chief
Steve Conrad maintains Blanford’s actions were justified. But protesters argue
the officer should have used non-lethal force, especially since Manyoun was
visibly intoxicated.
Spencer Lee McCain; Owing Mills, MD: The unarmed black
man was shot and killed by three Baltimore County police officers responding to
a domestic disturbance call. When they arrived at the home of Shannon Sulton,
officers reported they heard screams and forced their way into the house. All
three fired, later saying McCain was in a “defensive position” and moving in a
way that signaled he had a weapon. Nineteen shell cases were found after the
shooting, although no weapon was discovered. Sulton was bruised and cut.
Two children, including a 10-year-old who initially
called and alerted his grandmother about the disturbance, were present at the
time of the shooting — highlighting another major flaw in modern-day policing.
Due to inadequate training, police who confront parents in the presence of
their kids wind up traumatizing the children, especially when officers are
responding to domestic violence calls. Experts say cops should refrain from
drawing their weapons or cuffing suspects in front of children. But officers
who do use forceful tactics wind up exacerbating children’s emotional distress,
making them “feel helpless” and “blame themselves for not preventing the
violence, or for causing it.”
Walter William DeLeon; Los Feliz, CA: An unarmed
48-year-old man was shot in the head and killed by Officer Cairo Palacios
because the cop thought a towel wrapped around the victim’s hand was concealing
a weapon. Then the man was rolled over and handcuffed. Both the officer
involved and his partner allege they were stuck in traffic when DeLeon walked
in their direction. His arms were extended and covered by a cloth, and he
didn’t obey the officers when they exited their vehicle and commanded him to
“drop the gun,” the officers say. Palacios fired when DeLeon continued walking
in their direction. DeLeon’s son later explained that his dad usually carried
the towel to wipe off sweat. The victim may have been flagging down the
officers for help, but the reason for doing so is unclear.
“At first, I thought it was like a random person that
did it,” said 18-year-old William DeLeon. “Then I found out it was the cops. I
didn’t understand why, because I know my dad wouldn’t do anything to provoke
it.”
THESE COMPANIES SPONSORED THE FAIRFAX COUNTY POLICE GAMES
