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  • Victims

Tamir Rice, 12

Cleveland, Ohio

He was playing at the park with an airsoft gun replica when two police officers spotted him after receiving a police dispatch call. Without warning or even noticing that it was a kid, one of them shot twice at Tamir, hitting him in the stomach. The officers did not administer any first aid to Rice after the shooting.

He died the following day and the police officers weren’t indicted.

Eric Garner, 43

Staten Island, New York
On July 17, 2014, after breaking up a fight, Eric Garner was approached and arrested by police officers. During the arrest, the officer put his arm around Garner¹s neck in an illegal choke hold and pushed his face down into the ground. He was held for over 15 seconds, even though Eric said "I can't breathe" eleven times.

Eric Garner lost consciousness and died.

Oscar Grant, 22

Oakland, California

In the early morning hours of New Year's Day 2009, BART Police Officers detained him.  Oscar was lying face down and handcuffed when he was fatally shot in the back by a police officer.

The event was captured on digital videos and cell phone cameras that helped convict the officer for involuntary manslaughter.

 More info: www.oscargrantfoundation.info

Michael Brown, 18

Ferguson, Missouri

Fatally shot by a white police officer on a street in Ferguson, Missouri. According to witnesses, Michael had his hands up in surrender when he was shot.

His body bled out into the street for four hours. The police officer was not indicted. 

Jordan Davis, 17

Jacksonville, Florida

He was at a gas station, listening to music in the car with some friends, when he got in an argument with a 45-year-old white male that thought the music was too loud. When the discussion heated up, the man retrieved a loaded gun from his car and shot 10 rounds into a car full of black teens, killing Jordan.

He was sentenced to life without parole.

More info: www.walkwithjordan.org

Amadou Diallo, 22

Bronx, New York

Four police officers approached Diallo outside of his apartment, because the officers claimed he fit a description. When Diallo reached for his wallet, one of the officers yelled “gun”. They fired 41 shots at Diallo direction, hitting him 19 times.

The officers were acquitted of all charges.

More info: www.amadoudiallo.org

Trayvon Martin, 17

Miami Gardens, Florida

On the evening of February 26, 2012, Trayvon walked to the store from his friend's house. On the way back he was profiled as a potential criminal by a neighbor armed with a gun.

The neighbor pursued and fatally shot Trayvon. The killer was found not guilty.

More info: www.trayvonmartinfoundation.org

Rekia Boyd, 22

Chicago, Illinois

She was among a group of friends when she was approached by an off duty Chicago police officer that fired from an unregistered firearm, over his shoulder. He got out of the car and continued firing, fatally hitting Rekia in the head.

The police officer claimed that he mistakenly thought someone holding a cell phone was armed with a handgun. He was cleared of all charges.

More info: www.facebook.com/JusticeForRekiaBoyd/

Sean Bell, 23

Queens, New York
Was unarmed when he was shot on the morning of his wedding day by undercover NYPD officers that fired 50 bullets into his car.

Three of the five detectives involved in the shooting went to trial and were found not guilty.  

Andrew Joseph, 14

Florida

Andrew was an honor student, for no reason he was ejected from the Florida State Fair by police and left in an area surrounded by four busy roads. He was struck and killed while trying to cross the road. 

The family sued the Florida State Fair Authority and the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. No one has been charged.

More info: www.andrewjosephfoundation.org

Marlon Brown, 38

DeLand, Florida

On May 8, 2013, Marlon died under a police car that was chasing him over a seat-belt violation.

Before he was struck by the police cruiser, he tripped, threw his hands in the air and turned to face police. No one was criminally charged.

Caesar Cruz, 35

Anaheim, California

Was on his way to pick up his kids for football practice when he was followed by five officers acting on a tip from an "unnamed informant”. He was completely innocent of any crime.

While he was still in his seatbelt, the officers shot him fatally in the back fifteen times. No one was charged.

Ramarley Graham, 18

Bronx, New York

On February 2, 2012, two NYPD Street Narcotics Enforcement officers followed him home and kicked their way in without a warrant.

They ended up fatally shooting him in the bathroom, though he was unarmed. All charges against the officers have been dropped.

Kendrick Johnson, 17

Valdosta, Georgia

Found dead in his high school gym, rolled up in a mat. An autopsy by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation stated that Johnson died from positional asphyxia but an independent autopsy found that he died from blunt force trauma to the head.

Hours of surveillance cameras footage from the gym mysteriously disappeared. No one has been charged.

More info: www.gofundme.com/justiceforkj

Tamir Rice, 12

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Eric Garner, 43

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Oscar Grant, 22

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Michael Brown, 18

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Jordan Davis, 17

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Amadou Diallo, 22

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Trayvon Martin, 17

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Rekia Boyd, 22

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Sean Bell, 23

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Andrew Joseph, 14

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Marlon Brown, 38

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Caesar Cruz, 35

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Ramarley Graham, 18

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Kendrick Johnson, 17

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All proceeds Usher receives from the song “Chains” will go to a Donor Advised Fund in support of victims' families and affected communities, administered by Sankofa.org a 501c3 non-profit social justice organization:   www.sankofa.org

*All descriptions of the following incidents and persons involved are taken from publicly available accounts of what transpired, but are only intended to be a brief summary of the circumstances.  A reference to a person not being charged with a crime in any particular instance is not meant to imply that they should have been or vice versa.  Under our justice system, all persons are considered innocent of any crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.