Seeing as though I just reported a fatal shooting that took place in Chicago, not even a week ago, another African-American male in Alabama was shot. Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford Jr., a former veteran of the military was shot in the mall by authorities. Witnesses said that Bradford was running away and was no threat at all to the police. The 21-year-old was fatally shot on November 22, 2018, in the middle of a commotion filled crowd at the Galleria in Hoover, Alabama. Officers responded thinking Bradford was a gunman. Officers shot Bradford in the back three times as he tried to flee the scene.
A predominately white neighborhood south of Birmingham were inspired to start protesting. Now, I’m not even going to lie. It feels good to know I am not the only one who finds this event that took place upsetting. However, I hope that the feeling is not only upsetting but vexing as well. This is not the first nor the last time that we will hear a story like this, and it disappoints me that I must keep reporting similar stories occurring around the nation. It should be nothing black and white about these scenarios. The eye of the justice should be blind to who commits the crime whether it be an African-American male with tattoos across his face or a police officer. If you take somebody\’s life for no reason you deserve to spend a lifetime in prison.
I am not the only one who feels this is true. Emantic Bradford Sr. Bradford’s father believes this as well. He said that “the officer should be charged with homicide.” Obviously devastated by the tragedy, Bradford Sr., addressing the police officer said, “You’re a coward” and “what you have done has destroyed my family.” The frustration continues as innocent people die at the hands of our so-called “protection”. Like, are they incapable of de-escalating a situation without pulling the weapon from their holster? Even Ben Crump the family’s lawyer said: “All of these shots were potentially kill-shots.” No footage has been released recording the incident, so it is fair to say that they won’t even acknowledge this and just sweep it under the rug. Personally, my heart goes out to the Bradford family and any other families that have lost loved ones to the hands of a person with a badge who doesn’t know how to properly resolve a conflict.