BEEBE, Ark. (AP) — The Rev. Al Sharpton and attorneys for George Floyd’s family on Tuesday mourned a white Arkansas teenager fatally shot by a sheriff’s deputy, as they urged support across racial lines for efforts to reform police practices.
Sharpton eulogized 17-year-old Hunter Brittain, who was shot and killed by a white Lonoke County sheriff’s deputy, Sgt. Michael Davis, during a traffic stop June 23 near Cabot, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) northeast of Little Rock.
The killing in the predominantly white community has drawn the attention of national civil rights activists such as Sharpton, who said concerns about police tactics aren’t just limited to the Black community.
“The issue of policing is not about Black and white,” Sharpton told a packed auditorium at Beebe High School, where Brittain was a rising senior. “It’s about right and wrong.”
Many attending the memorial wore jeans and shirts that read “Justice for Hunter,” in a ceremony that included Floyd family attorneys Ben Crump and Devon Jacob. Both are representing Brittain’s family.
Floyd died in May last year when a white Minneapolis police officer used his knee to pin the handcuffed Black man’s neck to the ground. His death sparked nationwide protests over policing and racial inequality.
Crump and Jacob invoked other people killed by police, including Breonna Taylor, a Kentucky woman who was fatally shot during a botched police raid. Crump led the crowd in chanting, “Hunter Brittain’s life matters.”
“Because he is not here, we all have to unite together and make sure people all over America know that we will get justice for Hunter Brittain,” Crump said.
Lonoke County Sheriff John Staley last week fired Davis for not turning on his body camera until after he had shot Brittain. Staley said the only footage police have is from the aftermath. Arkansas State Police are investigating Brittain’s death. Davis is white.
Authorities have released few details about the shooting. Brittain’s family has said the teenager was unarmed and was holding a jug of antifreeze when he was shot. Brittain’s family and friends have held protests nightly outside the Lonoke County sheriff’s office and have complained about the lack of information released.
Staley on Monday said he welcomed those who want to peacefully protest, but that out-of-state activists could risk “inflaming an already difficult situation.”
“The people of this county are good, decent people and they, like me, want to see accountability and transparency in this situation,” Staley wrote on the office’s Facebook page.
The memorial included calls to pass federal legislation in Floyd’s name to overhaul police practices.
“Hopefully, Hunter and his untimely death will finish what Hunter’s brother — George Floyd — and his death started,” Jacob said.
Jesse Brittain, Hunter’s uncle, received a standing ovation when he called for an end to qualified immunity for police officers.
“Your life had meaning, you’re loved and your family will not stop advocating until we have justice for you, Hunter,” he said. “And also justice for all of our other brothers and sisters dying at the hands of law enforcement hired to protect and serve us around this country.”
As mourners filed into the high school auditorium Tuesday morning, photos and video of Brittain were displayed on a large screen above his casket, which was decorated with blue and white ribbons, the Chevrolet symbol and “Forever Chevy 17.” Family members said Brittain dreamed of becoming a NASCAR driver after graduation.
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You must be really sinking in the polls, Al. What in the world was that teen’s family thinking?
Maybe thinking they want one of those settlements like the Floyd family got?
I have no other idea why anyone grieving a child would let the Sharpton/Crump circus into their lives.
Hell, did he even ASK PERMISSION of the white family, before he did this!?
“The issue of policing is not about Black and white,” Sharpton told a packed auditorium at Beebe High School, where Brittain was a rising senior. “It’s about right and wrong.” Yep, Al, it is about right and wrong. Hey Al, you are a racist. Al is it “right or wrong” to be a racist? Al, is it right or wrong to owe the IRS 4.7 million dollars? Al, is it right or wrong to owe New York three quarters of a million dollars in taxes? Al, you are on the “wrong side” of “right and wrong”!
It’s funny to me that the IRS is not even trying to get Al to pay his taxes. Is it because he’s black??? He’s such a racist and the IRS is afraid to call in his taxes!! But me… I have to pay mine. I owe 11,000.00 and I get a letter every day from the IRS and I had to set up a payment plan!! I wonder if I called them racist would they let me alone????? NO!!! Or maybe I should tell them when ole’ Al pays his taxes…I’ll pay mine.I’m white… I have no chance…
his taxes ……. then
Hellzz yes.. That’s it in a nutshell.
Look out al, blm might target you.
Talk about a racist opportunist!
Sharpton is as phony as a three dollar bill. He’s nothing but a race baiter looking to make a buck out of it. He must have found a way to get paid by going there or he wouldn’t be there.
Being an MSMBC contributor and news analyst is the same phony thing. The networks should be ashamed to give this radical racist a platform to spew his hate but they are not.
Which makes me wonder, WHO PAID for him to go?
America’s parasite smells money.
Worst lying, pandering, racist hypocrite on the plan.
Aren’t all Democrat politians and their lunatic base born-again racists? You have to be a racist to be a Democrat to begin with. No others need apply. The Democrat party has him beat by a mile.
He certainly gives mad maxine a run for her money as the worst lying pandering hypocrite out there.
the henchmen of satan come in all colors and denominations.
Sharp must be considered in context with that which first brought him to significant national notice. For you younger people google Twana Brawley.
Al what about all the violence this weekend in Chicago??? Crickets
AHH but since that’s black on black, THAT CRIME doesn’t count.
Once a race hustler always a race hustler. It just goes to show. maybe career white criminals aren’t celebrated like the African America criminals are. After all they have one strike against them. They are white.
Why nothing in the story to indicate what crime the teen allegedly committed?
SHARPIE BOY IS A RACIST, WAS ALWAYS A RACIST, AND WILL ALWAYS BE A RACIST. Nothing new for him. he has caused more racial baloney, then some of the more famous ones. That is how he “gets his popularity”???
When you are no longer of any value, you grab at whatever there is to make the news again. I bet he follows the same agenda that aoc follows; make a lot of noise even if what you say is nothing.
Hey Al, you worthless race baiting ***! Why don’t you go to Chicago and work to stop the slaughter in the streets?
Over the 4th of July, 2021, at least 104 people in Chicago were shot by thugs, and so far 18 of them have died!
Year to date 2021, 1,587 have been shot, 364 are dead! 2021 shootings/deaths now exceed 12 mos. 2020!
You slimeball, go do something useful for a change!
HAS HE ever done anything useful, FOR EVERYONE ELSE OTHER THAN HIMSELF?!
I feel bad for the family, but why in the heck would they allow these race hustlers into the mix? Do they want the national attention to prod law enforcement for answers surrounding this young man’s shooting, or do they want Crump’s help in getting a big-time settlement? Be careful about dancing with the devil. This one is beyond me.