From these 3500 deaths, 790 were Black and 565 were Hispanic. This is not a figure that is representative of the ethnicity of the population of America.

When we look at the victimology, the murderer has a preference for black people. Black victims are 2.8 times higher than white. The preferred method of killing is shooting, although asphyxiation comes a close second. This killer will continue their reign of terror, as they are rarely charged. If they are brought to justice the sentences passed are minimal.

You may have guessed by now, I am talking about the police. The killing will continue and the victim count increase until they are held responsible. It will continue until systems change.

Some of you might ask what this article is doing in a crime publication, the answer is simple, murder is a crime no matter who commits it. Many may find a reason to justify the murders. The person shouldn’t have run away, they were acting suspiciously. If you can justify murder, then you are not a person I want in my life.

There are victims we are all aware of Rayshard Brooks, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. These three are the tip of a huge iceberg. Many other innocent victims deserve their names to be heard.

Eight Most Shocking Murders

When you research the extent of the problem, it is awful. There are so many names and faces that deserve their story to be heard. These were the eight victims who shocked me the most. There are others and I urge you to look them up and educate yourself on all the names.

Ataliana Jefferson — 28

Jefferson was shot through the window of her home, in front of her nephew. There was no provocation and no warning of the intent to shoot. Instead, police were responding to a call from her neighbour. The neighbour reported that she was concerned as Jefferson’s door was open. Why they didn’t go over in person, is beyond me. Police responded to this call. Seeing a black woman in the house, they shot her through the window.

Stephon Clark — 22

Clark was standing in his grandmother’s back yard when he was shot over 20 times. Officer said that he had a gun in his hand. They were responding to a call of a youth breaking car windows. Even though they offered no warning and he was not pointing the gun at anyone. They fired without checking. Clark was holding his mobile phone in his hand, there was no gun.

Botham Jean — 26

Jean was sitting on his sofa eating ice-cream when he was shot. The off duty policewoman walked into the apartment and opened fire on him. Her excuse she thought it was her apartment and he was an intruder. The first question, how can you get your apartment wrong. The second, do intruders often sit and eat ice-cream on the sofa. There is some light for this case, as the officer responsible was sentenced to ten years. A fraction of the charge for murder.

Alton Sterling — 37

Sterling was selling CDs and DVDs outside a shop. He was detained and then restrained, tasered and then shot six times. Many witnesses stated they heard the officers boasting that they were going to shoot him.

Freddie Gray — 25

Gray was arrested and placed in a police van to be processed. When the doors opened 45 minutes later he was found dead. His spinal cord had been almost completely severed. He was placed in the van with his hands and feet shackled, he was not seat belted. Unable to defend himself, he was tossed around in the van until he died.

Akai Gurley — 28

Gurley came out of his flat and walked down the stairs in his building. Officers at the time were conducting a vertical patrol. When they heard someone on the stairs they fired their weapon into the stairwell, for no reason. The bullet ricocheted and hit Gurley.

Tamir Rice — 12

Rice was playing with a toy gun in the local park. The police arrived and within 2 seconds they had shot him. They then went on to arrest his sister. It took the officers four minutes to administer first aid to this child. He died in hospital the next day.

Jemel Roberson — 26

Roberson was a security guard for Manny’s Blue Room Bar. When he asked a drunk man to leave, the man started shooting. Four people were shot by the gunman. At no regard for his safety, Roberson intervened, subdued and pinned the man to the ground. Saving countless other lives. He held him there with the gun he was licensed to carry. He was wearing a vest clearly showing he was security. When police arrived, they opened fire on Roberson, despite the pleas of onlookers who stated he was security. He was shot multiple times. Killed for being a hero.

This isn’t just America’s problem.

Although the cases I have discussed here are from America, this is not a problem confined to one country. The United Kingdom has registered 276 deaths in 2019 alone. Other countries have similar statistics.

Police brutality in the United Kingdom is as prevalent. I worked with a young lady with mental health problems. During a mental health break, she was arrested by the police. They used pepper spray on her and restrained her. When I picked her up she was black on both arms and legs. You could not put a matchstick between the bruises. The nurse who checked her overstated it was the worse case of abuse she had ever seen. I supported her to complain and the police joined ranks, lied and the case was thrown out. If the British police carried guns our death toll would rival America.

How do we change

The first step to change is to recognise there is a problem. We have all sat and eaten on our sofa, stood in a yard and played in a park. The basic aspects of life put black people at risk from this serial killer.

We need to read, research and ensure these victims stories do not go unheard. By recognising we have a serial killer in the form of an institution, we can demand this ends. We can vote for the leaders that will help initiate change. If I was in charge of stopping this slaughter I would instantly fire anyone with even a blemish of racism on their record. I would replace them, with people of colour, that should start to stop the senseless murder.