ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. — It's been a rollercoaster of emotions this week starting with the guilty verdict announced in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin followed by the deaths of two other Black people at the hands of police.
Ma’Khia Bryant, 16, and Andrew Brown both shot and killed during a police interaction makes it difficult for some to believe justice and progress is being made despite the recent conviction of a former officer.
“When they betray us that is much worse than say if I were to assault you,” Randy Thompson CEO of Help Not Handcuffs Inc. said. “That’s person-to-person this is the state assaulting communities and the psychological impact is incredibly harmful.”
As a result, protests have erupted in Columbus, Ohio, and Elizabeth City, North Carolina, where the two killings took place.
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“I’m trying to get justice for my cousin because he was gunned down, and it don’t make sense,” Brown’s cousin Zena Jackson said.
Elizabeth City Council agreed to petition the courts to release the body cam video. Three deputies resigned from the Pasquotank County Sheriff's Office and seven are on leave after the deadly shooting of Brown.
But as in the case of George Floyd, some activists believe the power of the people could be the difference in making future change.
“Take this verdict and turn it into victory by holding your local officials accountable and holding your neighbors accountable,” Thompson said.
Contact Briana Harper at bharper@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.