The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) tweeted that Washington DC police “murdered Deon Kay” and demanded “justice for Deon, and every life taken by DC police.”
The ACLU deleted this tweet
h/t: @EddieZipperer pic.twitter.com/BLcU1f1iFO
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) September 4, 2020
“Police murdered Deon Kay yesterday. He was just 18 years old. His death is yet another painful reminder that violence and racism is endemic to policing in this nation. We demand justice for Deon, and every life taken by DC police,” the tweet said.
The tweet has since been deleted from the nonpartisan legal and advocacy 501(c)(4) organization’s Twitter account. However, the ACLU released a statement that blamed the officer for the death of Kay, 18, saying “the officer made no attempt to de-escalate, there was no warning or directive given to Kay to drop a weapon.”
The tragic shooting and death of 18-year-old Deon Kay is the logical conclusion of a policy that not only meets violence with violence, but actually escalates and incites it — especially in our Black communities.
We demand justice for Deon Kay.https://t.co/z4ScTmJRqH
— ACLU (@ACLU) September 4, 2020
The tweet sent out by the ACLU with the statement attached said that Kay’s death “is the logical conclusion of a policy that not only meets violence with violence, but actually escalates and incites it.”
“Less than two weeks after the shooting of Jacob Blake we have been provided with yet another example of the violence and racism endemic in policing in the U.S.,” Paige Fernandez, policing policy advisor at ACLU National, said in the statement. “We can’t ignore the police violence in D.C. We demand justice for Deon Kay and all the other lives the D.C. police force has taken.”
DC police shot Kay in a confrontation Wednesday afternoon, after police were investigating reports of a man brandishing a firearm in the southeast DC area, according to a police statement released Wednesday evening.
Police Chief Peter Newsham said the officer’s investigation into Kay and his friend’s activity was spurred by a livestream on social media that showed the men brandishing firearms, Fox News 23 reported. Newsham said he knew Kay from encounters Kay previously had with law enforcement, saying Kay was a “validated gang member.”
Some users on Twitter have been circulating a video that was allegedly taken from Kay’s live stream.
Video emerges of #DeonKay prior to fatal shooting by DC Police.
MPD say 18 year old Kay was brandishing a firearm in #WashingtonDC when he was fatally shot by officers.
If you carry a gun unlawfully, you risk being shot by police. #BlueLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/HkcUgqwmZH
— FoxtrotCop ???????????? (@Foxtrot_Cop) September 3, 2020
When officers approached the vehicle where Kay was live streaming from, police say Kay and others fled on foot.
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After an officer is heard telling Kay “don’t move,” repeatedly, Kay raisesd his arm holding what appeared to be a firearm. The officer shot Kay as he threw the object. Kay later died in the hospital Wednesday. (RELATED:DC Police Release Body Cam Footage Of Fatal Shooting Of Deon Kay)
Newsham said officers recovered two firearms from the scene Wednesday. The firearm that Kay is suspected to have thrown was recovered nearly 100 feet away from the shooting, according to The Washington Post. The body cam footage shows the officer’s search for the firearm after the shooting.