Washington, D.C., July 5, 2022 - Today, Brady joins Americans across the country in expressing outrage over the police shooting of Jayland Walker and calling for a thorough investigation into the events surrounding his death. Jayland was shot by police officers at least 60 times as he fled on foot.
This week, Brady also commemorates the lives of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, and Eric Garner who were killed at the hands of police violence. Brady is committed to tackling gun violence in all its forms and reiterates the need to confront the systemic racism that drives gun violence, including police violence, and prevents Black and Brown Americans from returning home to their families. Our thoughts are with Jayland’s family and we support local advocates in their calls for justice and accountability.
Brady Senior Counsel and Director of Racial Justice Kelly Sampson shared:
Police reportedly fired at Jayland Walker 90 times, leaving him with 60 gunshot wounds. Such brutal treatment is not only inhumane, but also inexcusable. In stark contrast, just this past weekend, we saw Highland Park police peacefully apprehend an armed white man who fled the scene after opening fire on a July Fourth parade, killing seven people. Mr. Walker, like too many other Black Americans killed by police, should be alive today. Police violence is gun violence. A country supposedly governed by the rule of law, as we are, cannot enthrone police above it. That is why I join calls for investigation and accountability.
Team ENOUGH Executive Council shared:
Eight police officers fired a reported 90 shots at Jayland Walker, riddling his body with 60 bullets. You don’t need to watch the video to know the devastation this level of violence can do to someone. Jayland Walker is unfortunately another young Black man who this country has failed. We are left asking, if Jayland had been white like the shooters in Highland Park, Illinois, Charleston, South Carolina, or Kenosha, Wisconsin, all of whom were taken into police custody without incident, would he still be alive today? We must urgently confront the problem of police violence comprehensively and transparently in order to save lives.
Black and Brown Americans face gun violence and police violence at disproportionately high rates. While Black Americans are only 13% of the U.S. population, they are 2.5 times more likely to be killed by police than white Americans and constitute 31% of all police-involved fatalities. This reality, and the fact that Black Americans face disproportionate rates of gun violence, result from the same racist policies and structures that drive inequality and disparity for minority communities across numerous outcomes. Efforts to prevent gun violence must address these underlying systems of injustice.
Brady has one powerful mission — to unite all Americans against gun violence. We work across Congress, the courts, and our communities with over 90 grassroots chapters, bringing together young and old, red and blue, and every shade of color to find common ground in common sense. In the spirit of our namesakes Jim and Sarah Brady, we have fought for over 45 years to take action, not sides, and we will not stop until this epidemic ends. It’s in our hands.
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