For Immediate Release

Media Contact:
Angela Allmond, Communications Director
Oklahoma Democratic Party
angela@okdemocrats.org

Unarmed Black Youth Dead – White Suspect Kills Seven People, in Custody

OKLAHOMA CITY—JULY 6, 2022 – The difference between how police pursued and killed an unarmed young Black man and riddled him with 60 bullets and the pursuit and apprehension of the Highland Park Fourth of July Parade white male who killed seven people couldn’t be more obvious.

“I am deeply disturbed by not only the eight shootings over the July 4th celebration right here in Oklahoma, but I am sickened by how some police agencies continue their knee-jerk fatal killings of young Black men in our country,” stated Alicia Andrews, Chair of the Oklahoma Democratic Party.

“If Jayland Walker had been pursued in the same manner as Highland Park shooter Robert Crimo, who was reported to be armed and dangerous and was able to purchase a semi-automatic style rifle with the help of his father after two incidents that police knew about and indicated he was a danger to himself, his family, and the community, Mr. Walker would be alive today.

“It’s time for our country to return to commonsense laws regarding guns and way past time that we have serious, frank discussions on law enforcement. No more happy talk. No more stalling. No more mass shootings. Our police need to be held accountable to the training they receive. Police currently receive unconscious bias training. Police currently receive training that reminds them that Black men are no greater threat than others. Then, they are allowed to ignore this training without fear of consequences. We must demand accountability. No more pleas for better training; they receive the training. The aggressive, often deadly, pursuit of Black men during police encounters must carry severe, systemic penalties. The more accountability, the better chance of more Black men surviving encounters with the police, concluded Andrews.

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For more information about the Oklahoma Democratic Party, visit the party website at okdemocrats.org, or call party headquarters at 405-427-3366.