Hip Hop Artist and Activist Reflects on Recent Police Killings

FEATURING JASIRI X – Just over a year after Baltimore, Maryland was rocked by riots in the wake of Freddie Gray’s brutal death in police custody, the six officers indicted in the case have all been let off without charges.

But then another high profile police killing in Baltimore County, this time of a young black woman, has shocked people. Korryn Gaines was a 23-year old mother who found herself barricaded in her home with a long gun while surrounded by police. After a 5-hour stand-off police fired shots, leading to her firing back and then another round of police shots that killed her and injured her son.

Within days of Gaines’ killing, Chicago police released shocking videos of their police officers pursuing an 18-year old black youth named Paul O’Neal, chasing him and shooting him in the back. The killings of black Americans by police are an unending series of tragedies that seem to continue unabated.

Follow Jasiri X’s work at www.jasirix.com.

Jasiri X, well-known hip hop artist and civil rights activist.