Activists slept outside in tents overnight and are planning protests outside the DeKalb County Courthouse in Decatur, Ga., demanding police investigate the recent shooting death of a black man after he called police for help.
The protesters, operating under the names #ShutItDownATL and #OccupyATL, held a rally outside the courthouse complex and then slept out in the cold overnight to both pay homage to Kevin Davis, 44, and protest his death by law enforcement in December. The protestors have a sign that’s lit up with blue lights, saying “Black Lives Matter.”
According to reports by freethoughtproject.com, Davis dialed 911 on Dec. 29 because his girlfriend was being stabbed by her roommate after an argument. The arriving police officer reportedly entered the home without announcing their presence. When the couple’s dog attacked the officer, he shot and killed dog.
Davis, 44, who was armed in the back of the house awaiting the police arrival, was reportedly startled by the gunshot and the dog wailing in pain. He came out to investigate who shot his dog and why. The officer on the scene claims Davis wouldn’t drop his weapon and therefore shot him. Davis died two days later.
“When someone calls the police for help, they shouldn’t have to worry about getting shot in their own home, especially if you’re entering unannounced,” said activist Cydney Brower told WSBTV. “It’s just one of those situations where we’re here, and we’re going to continue to come here and we are going to continue to make noise because we want this to be investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The family deserves it.”
Worse, the family’s lawyer says, is this:
“We have witnesses that will testify that they heard police yell ‘Drop the gun’ only after the shots were fired,” Mawuli Davis, the family’s lawyer has stated.
Activists demand the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, whose headquartered nearby in DeKalb County, Ga, launch it’s own investigation. The GBI said that can only take place if it requested by the DeKalb Police Department or the DeKalb District Attorney’s Office.
The activists are also angry because the officer who killed Davis was placed on paid leave for a short time but is now reportedly back on duty.
Take a look at some of the photos from the dramatic scene below:
Photos: #ShutItDownATL on Twitter; #OccupyATL on Twitter; and Instagram
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