Announcement from Asheville Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends:
On July 2, 2016, Jai Lateef “Jerry” Williams was fatally shot by Asheville Police officer Tyler Radford. On October 28, the NC State Bureau of Investigation released to District Attorney Todd Williams the report of its investigation into the shooting.
Our hearts are cracked open by the excessive use of force by police in our nation and in our own community, against people of color, especially young black men and Jerry Williams in particular. We acknowledge that this long history of institutionalized violence has repeatedly broken the hearts and shattered the lives of people in our community. We recognize that our silence makes us complicit. If we fail to speak, our silence will be deafening.
We join with the family and other members of the Asheville community who still grieve for his untimely death, and are frustrated by the lack of clarity as to the events leading up to the fatal shooting.
We call upon the Asheville Police Department to cease and desist from harassing and intimidating the family of Jerry Williams and other members of his community.
We call upon the District Attorney to release the SBI report to the family, along with any and all evidence gathered by or presented to the Asheville Police and the District Attorney’s office, including the names of all persons who were interviewed as possible eyewitnesses to the shooting.
We stand united with the family of Jerry Williams if they choose to call for an independent investigation.
We seek nothing more nor less than full disclosure of the facts of the matter, and the swiftest and most certain resolution possible, for the sake of his family, his loved ones, and our Asheville community.
Approved without exception at this 11th Month Meeting for Business
Submitted by,
Patti Hughes, clerk, on behalf of
Asheville Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
227 Edgewood Rd.
Asheville, NC 28804
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