Malissa Williams & Timothy Russell, killed by Cleveland Police Officers 

Many of us were already reeling from the news of another unarmed Black teenager killed in Florida. 17 year old Jordan Davis was killed when 45 year old Michael Dunn objected to the loud music Jordan’s friends were playing from their car at a local gas station. Michael Dunn proceeded to pull out his gun and fire on the unarmed teenagers before he drove home. Many see this as a mirror image of the murder of Trayvon Martin.

Today another story is getting national attention, this time in Cleveland Ohio, where a unarmed Black woman and man were killed by Cleveland police officers, after the officers fired 137 rounds at the 2 victims. According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the police though they saw a possible weapon, they same excuse Michael Dunn gave when he was arrested for the murder of Jordan Davis.

Even though this incident took place last week, the officers involved in killing Malissa Williams and Timothy Russell have yet to be interviewed. According to the Cleveland Police Department they will be questioned today and it’s “standard procedure” to, “wait 72 hours before interviewing officers involved in shootings.”

Cleveland Police Chief Michael McGrath called the shooting a, “very regrettable situation”, but Jeffery Follmer, president of the Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association, described Malissa Williams and Timothy Russell as “bad guys” and said the police did a “great job.” The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office removed 20 rounds from Timothy Russell’s body and 16 from Malissa Williams’ body.