UPDATED: Demonstrators, community members stage rally & teach-in at Asheville Police Station over Jerry Williams shooting

Local Asheville SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice) activists, faith leaders and community members gathered at the Asheville Visitor Center this morning to hold a rally calling attention to instances of racial inequity across the country. Demonstrators also demanded justice for Jai Lateef Solveig (Jerry) Williams, who was fatally shot by Asheville Police Sergeant Tyler Radford on July 2 at Deaverview Apartments.

“Today is a national day of action,” said a rally organizer, who was handing out leaflets that outline a different account of the circumstances surrounding Williams’ death than Asheville Police Department statements. “We’re here to boost the Black Asheville Matters movement and show solidarity, as well as demand justice for Jerry Williams.”

Protesters marched through downtown Asheville chanting and singing, “We want justice/Justice for Jerry,” before entering the APD front reception lobby at its 100 Court Plaza station to stage a teach-in. “We plan to stay right here until our demands are acknowledged or we’re arrested,” said Amy Cantrell, one of the rally organizers, amid calls from the crowd to “Shut it down!”

Local activist DeLores Venable spoke briefly to the protesters and crowd in the reception area, thanking community members for being there and showing support. “This wouldn’t have happened 50 years ago,” Venable said of the demonstration, adding that it was a shame more African-American residents of Asheville could not be there because of fear of police reprisal or outstanding criminal charges.

“Why has the media on this been so suppressed?” she asked. “Because we’re a tourist town? Why is the black business district occupied by white business owners?” she added, referring to the historically African-American community around Eagle and Market streets, in the immediate vicinity of the police station.

Demonstrators then shared personal reasons for being at the rally. Cantrell recounted a heart-breaking story of Williams’ mother carrying a her son’s teddy bear at a recent vigil. “That’s the closest thing she has left of him,” she said. “This was a man with blood in his veins. A man with a big family that loved him.”

Another member of the crowd revealed that she and her partner, residents of the San Francisco Bay Area, had taken a break from their vacation to be present at the rally. Others drew parallels between the inequities experienced by the African-American community and those experienced by Hispanics and LGBTQ individuals, calling for all the groups to stand in solidarity and support each other.

“We just marched down the street and no one stopped us,” said one demonstrator, questioning whether a majority black gathering would have experienced the same freedom of protest.

Activists, protesters and supporters march through Pack Square towards the Asheville Police Station at 100 Court Plaza. Photo by Max Hunt

Protesters assemble in front of the Asheville Police Department station to organize before heading inside.. Photo by Max Hunt

Rally attendees pour into the front reception area of APD’s downtown station for a “teach-in” demonstration. Photo by Max Hunt

Activist Delores Venable addresses the crowd inside the station and thanks them for their support of the African-American community in Asheville. Photo by Max Hunt

Rally organizers and supporters hold a moment of silence in memory of Jerry Williams. Photo by Max Hunt

Demonstrators called for the immediate dismissal of Sgt. Radford and his indictment for the murder of Williams, as well as an official, public apology from Police Chief Tammy Hooper to Williams’ family. In addition, organizers demanded a full acknowledgement of the “State of Black Asheville” report by city officials and called on city government to cease new funding for the police department until racial inequities are addressed within the community.

Others called for APD to publicly denounce House Bill 972 — passed earlier this month by the North Carolina General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Pat McCrory — which limits public access to police dashboard and body camera footage.

“We were all a part of Jerry’s assassination; we pay those taxes,” said one demonstrator, urging the Asheville community to hold public servants and police officers accountable.

This is the latest instance of public outcry since Williams was shot and killed in a parking lot of the Deaverview Apartment Complex. Initial reports from APD indicated that officers responded to an emergency call of shots fired at Pisgah View Apartments on July 2 at approximately 7 p.m.

Police then say Williams fled the scene, leading police on a pursuit to Deaverview Apartments, during which officers report witnessing Williams assaulting a female passenger in his vehicle. After coming to a stop in the Deaverview Apartment Complex, Police reports indicate that Williams displayed a weapon, later identified as an AR-15 assault rifle by Hooper. At that point, Radford opened fire. Williams was shot multiple times; he passed away shortly afterwards from his injuries.

Several other individuals were present in the car at the time of the shooting; no injuries were sustained by the other passengers, according to statements issued by APD.

Several demonstrators handed out a flyer alleging that the official version of the events of July 2 is misleading and flawed: They contend that Williams was responding to a call from a friend for assistance with a domestic violence dispute in Pisgah View Apartments. The flyer prepared by the Justice for Jerry Williams campaign asserts that family members say Williams was unarmed when he left his godmother’s house on Walton Street. According to the flyer, Williams and the woman in the vehicle did not fight with each other, nor was there a police chase, citing accounts by unnamed witnesses.

The flyer also alleges that police officers gave no verbal commands to Williams prior to the shooting, and they question the absence of video footage from dashboard cameras, body cameras or Deaverview Apartment surveillance cameras.

Asheville Police Department Public Information Officer Christina Hallingse says that APD respects the rights of the protesters to gather freely in a public space, and advises residents attempting to access the station to use the side public entrance, to call 911 in the case of an emergency or call (828) 252-1110 for non-emergencies.

“The front lobby is open to the public until 6 p.m.,” she added when asked about demonstrators’ intentions to occupy the lobby until they are acknowledged or arrested. Asked about the allegations made on the flyer, Hallingse said that APD has released multiple statements on the facts surrounding Williams death. “[The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation] is investigating the incident,” she noted. “There may be information that we’re not privy to. It’s not our investigation. SBI is handling the investigation to guarantee the fairness and a full, impartial investigation into the case. They will hand over their findings to the district attorney when the investigation is completed.”

Williams’ personal belongings, along with other evidence related to the case, are currently being held by the N.C. SBI, pending the completion of their investigation into his death and shooting. Sgt. Radford is currently on paid leave from duty, pending the results of SBI’s investigation. SBI is expected to release its findings to the Asheville District Attorney’s Office at an undetermined date in the future. It is unclear when or if the report will become available to the public.

This is a developing story. For further coverage of the shooting and death of Jerry Williams and resulting rallies and public demonstrations, see “Updated: Community gathers to mourn Jerry Williams, protest police shootings of black men” (Xpress, July 5, 2016) and “Civil rights advocate: APD used excessive force in Williams shooting, failed to render aid” (Xpress, July 6, 2016).

More information on Black Asheville Matters can be found at http://goo.gl/6hda0B or at the “Justice For Jerry Williams” Facebook page. To see the Asheville Police Department’s official statement on the shooting from July 2, 2016, and a follow-up from Chief Hooper, see below. To see allegations disputing the official police statement, as distributed by rally organizers, see below as well.