Their Names

The recent death of George Floyd poured salt onto a gaping, raw wound in this country. The event exposed excessive police force, police overreach, and the absolute need for reform. The following African American names are by no means an exhaustive list. Though the deaths of many of the African Americans listed below did not necessarily occur in Appalachia, it is incumbent for us, as part of this nation, to peel back the ugly layers and recognize a very real and horrific problem. The names and occurrences are in descending order by year, though the dates aren’t necessarily in order within each year. The title of this post came from the many protests across the country demanding we “Say their names.” Please see links below these names for an even starker number.

Natosha “Tony” McDade
38 y.o. – Killed by police May 27, 2020 in Tallahassee, Florida
(Shooting)

George Floyd
46 y.o. – Killed by police May 25, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota
(Asphyxiation in police custody)

Yassin Mohamed
47 y.o. – Killed by police May 9, 2020 in Claxton, Georgia
(Shooting)

Finan H. Berhe
30 y.o. – Killed by police May 8, 2020 in White Oak, Maryland
(Shooting – possible mental illness)

Sean Reed
21 y.o. – Killed by police May 6, 2020 in Indianapolis, Indiana
(Shooting)
Air Force Veteran

Steven Demarco Taylor
33 y.o. – Killed April 18, 2020 in San Leandro, California
(Shooting)

Darius Tarver
23 y.o. – Killed by police January 21, 2020 in Denton, Texas
(Shooting)

William Green
43 y.o. – Killed by police January 27, 2020 in Prince George’s County, Maryland
(Shot seven times while handcuffed and in the back of a police cruiser. Officer charged with 2nd degree murder)

Kwame Jones
17 y.o. – Killed by police January 5, 2020 in Jacksonville, Florida
(Shot multiple times)

Ariane McCree
28 y.o. – Killed November 23, 2019 in Chester, South Carolina
(Shooting)

Miles Hall
23 y.o. – Killed by police June 2, 2019 in San Francisco, California
(Shooting)

De’von Baily
19 y.o. – Killed by police August 3, 2019 in Colorado Springs, Colorado
(Shooting)

Christopher Whitfield
31 y.o. – Killed by police October 14, 2019 in Louisiana
(Shooting)

JaQuavion Slaton
20 y.o. – Killed by police June 11, 2019 in Fort Worth, Texas
(Shooting)

Ryan Twyman
24 y.o. – Killed by police June 6, 2019 in Los Angeles, California
(Shooting – Police shot 34 rounds)

Brandon Webber
20 y.o. – Killed by U.S. Marshalls June 12, 2019 in Memphis, Tennessee
(Shooting)

Jimmy Atchison
21 y.o. – Killed by police January 22, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia
(Shooting)

Willie McCoy
20 y.o. – Killed by police February 9, 2019 in Vallejo, California
(Shooting – Police fired 55 bullets at him in 3.5 seconds)

Eric Logan
54 y.o. – Killed by police June 16, 2019 in South Bend, Indiana
(Shooting)

D’ettrick Griffin
18 y.o. – Killed by police January 15, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia
(Shooting)

Jamee Johnson
22 y.o. – Killed by police December 14, 2019 in Jacksonville, Florida
(Shooting)

Michael Dean
28 y.o. – Killed by police December 3, 2019 in Texas
(Shooting – officer charged with manslaughter)

Atatiana Jefferson
28 y.o. Killed by police October 12, 2019 in Fort Worth, Texas
(Shooting – officer charged with murder)

Pamela Turner
44 y.o. – Killed by police May 13, 2019 in Baytown, Texas

Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford Jr.
21 y.o. – Killed by police November 24, 2018 in Alabama
(Shooting – mistakenly identified as a shooter during a mall shooting.
Shot from behind.)
U.S. Army Veteran

Jemel Roberson
26 y.o. – Killed by police November 11, 2018 in Oak Lawn, Illinois
(Shooting – while working as a security guard)

DeAndre Ballard
23 y.o. – Killed by a security guard September 18, 2018 in North Carolina
(Shooting)

Botham Shem Jean
26 y.o. – Killed by off-duty police officer September 6, 2018 in Dallas, Texas
(Shooting – officer charged with manslaughter and given a 10 year prison sentence)

Robert Lawrence White
41 y.o. – Killed by police June 11, 2018 in Silver Spring, Maryland
(Shot multiple times)

Stephon Clark
22 y.o. – Killed by police March 18, 2018 in Sacremento, California
(Shot 8 times – 6 bullets to the back)

Danny Ray Thomas
34 y.o. – Killed by police March 2018 in Houston, Texas
(Shooting)

Jonathan Hart
21 y.o. – Killed by security guard December 4, 2018 in Los Angeles, California
(Shooting)

Maurice Granton
24 y.o. – Killed by police June 6, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois
(Shot in the back and killed)

Jordan Edwards
15 y.o. – Killed by police April 29, 2017 in Balch Springs, Texas
(Shooting – officer charged with murder and is serving 15 years in prison)

Dejuan Guillory
27 y.o. – Killed by police July 6, 2017 in Mamou, Louisiana
(Shooting)

Patrick Harmon
50 y.o. – Killed by police August 13, 2017 in Salt Lake City, Utah
(Shooting)

Jamarion Robinson
26 y.o. – Killed by police August, 2016 in East Point, Georgia
(Shot 76 times)

Gregory Gunn
58 y.o. – Killed by police February 5, 2016 in Montgomery, Alabama
(Tased three times, beaten with a baton and shot five times)

Akiel Denkins
24 y.o. – Killed by police February 29, 2016 in Raleigh, North Carolina
(Shooting)

Alton Sterling
37 y.o. – Killed by police July 5, 2016 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
(Shooting)

Philando Castile
32 y.o. – Killed by police July 6, 2016 in St. Paul, Minnesota
(Shooting – officer charged and acquitted)

Terrence Sterling
31 y.o. – Killed by police September 11, 2016 in Washington, D.C.
(Shooting)

Terence Crutcher
40 y.o. – Killed by police September 16, 2016 in Tulsa, Oklahoma
(Shooting)
Terence Crutcher Foundation

Keith Lamont Scott
43 y.o. – Killed by police September 20, 2016 in Charlotte, North Carolina
(Shooting)

Alfred Olango
38 y.o. – Killed by police September 27, 2016 in El Cajon, California
(Shooting)

Korryn Gaines
23 y.o. Killed by police August 1, 2016 in Randallstown, Maryland
(Shooting – as she held her five-year-old son, who was also shot but not killed)

Anthony Hill
27 y.o. – Killed by police March 2015 in Dekalb County, Georgia
(Shooting)
Air Force Veteran

Charly Keunang
43 y.o. – Killed by police March 1, 2015 in Los Angeles, California
(Shot multiple times)

Tony Robinson
19 y.o. – Killed by police March 6, 2015 in Madison, Wisconsin
(Shooting)

Walter Scott
50 y.o. – Killed by police April 4, 2015 in North Charleston, South Carolina
(Shot in the back – officer charged with murder, plead guilty, and was sentenced to 20 years)

Freddie Gray
25 y.o. – Killed by police April 19, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland
(Died in police custody – spinal injury)

Brendon Glenn
29 y.o. – Killed by police May 6, 2015 in Los Angeles, California
(Shot in the back)

Samuel DuBose
43 y.o. – Killed by University of Cincinnati police July 19, 2015 in Cincinnati, Ohio
(Shooting)

Christian Taylor
19 y.o. – Killed by police August 7, 2015 in Arlington
(Shooting)

Jamar Clark
24 y.o. – Killed by police November 15, 2015 in Minneapolis, Minnesota
(Shooting)

Mario Woods
26 y.o. – Killed by police December 2, 2015 in San Francisco, California
(Shot 20 times – many of those wounds in the back)

Quintonio LeGrier and Bettie Jones
LeGrier: 19 y.o./ Jones: 55 y.o. – Killed by police December 26, 2015 in Chicago, Illinois
(Shooting)

Hector Morejon
19 y.o. – Killed by police April 23, 2015 in Long Beach, California
(Shooting)

Cameron Tillman
14 y.o. – Killed by police September 23, 2015 in Houma, Louisiana
(Shooting)

Gregory Hill Jr.
30 y.o. – Killed by police January 14, 2014 in Fort Pierce, Florida
(Shooting – The family sued and won – $4.
“The jury tallied up the damages: $1 for funeral expenses to Hill’s mother, and $1 each to Hill’s three children, aged 7, 10 and 13.”)

Jordan Baker
26 y.o. – Killed by police January 16, 2014 in Houston, Texas
(Shooting)

Victor White III
22 y.o. – Killed in police custody March 3, 2014 in Louisiana
(Police said he “shot himself while in custody in the back of a patrol car despite being handcuffed behind his back.”

Dontre Hamilton
31 y.o. – Killed by police April 30, 2014 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
(Shot 14 times)

Eric Garner
43 y.o. – Killed by police July 17, 2014 in New York City
(In police custody – choked with an illegal choke hold)

John Crawford III
22 y.o. – Killed by police August 5, 2014 in Dayton, Ohio
(Shooting – in Walmart, looking at “a pellet gun — which police would later discover to be a toy”)

Michael Brown
18 y.o. – Killed by police August 9, 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri
(Shooting)

Ezell Ford
25 y.o. – Killed by police August 11, 2014 in Florence, California
(Shooting)

Dante Parker
36 y.o. – Killed by police August 12, 2014 in San Bernardino County, California
(By Taser, shocked “multiple times” while in police custody)

Kajieme Powell
25 y.o. – Killed by police August 9, 2014 in St. Louis, Missouri
(Shooting)

Laquan McDonald
17 y.o. – Killed by police October 20, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois
(Shooting – Shot sixteen times – “Nine of the shots, the report said, struck the teen at a downward angle.”
Officer charged with first degree murder but found guilty of second degree murder. Sentenced to
six years, nine months.)

Akai Gurley
28 y.o. – Killed by police November 20, 2014 in New York City
(Shooting – Officer convicted of manslaughter but the Brooklyn Supreme Court suggested
no jail time, “five years probation, and 800 hours of community service.”)

Tamir Rice
12 y.o. – Killed by police November 22, 2014 in Cleveland, Ohio
(Shooting – playing with a pellet gun)

Rumain Brisbon
34 y.o. – Killed by police December 2, 2014 in Phoenix, Arizona
(Shooting)

Jerame Reid
36 y.o. – Killed by police December 30, 2014 in New Jersey
(Shooting)

Yvette Smith
47 y.o. – Killed by police February 16, 2014 in Bastrop County, Texas
(Shooting)

Carey Smith-Viramontes
18 y.o. – Killed by police November 2014 in Long Beach, California
(Shooting)

Roshad McIntosh
19 y.o. – Killed by police August 24, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois
(Shooting)

Tanisha Anderson
37 y.o. – Killed by police November 13, 2014 in Cleveland, Ohio
(In police custody – “as a result of being physically restrained in a proned position”
and “sudden death associated with physical restraint.” The officer used a “takedown move”
then pushed his knee in her back.)

Terrance Franklin
22 y.o. – Killed by police May 10, 2013 in Minneapolis, Minnesota
(Shooting)

Larry Jackson Jr.
32 y.o. – Killed by police July 26, 2013 in Austin, Texas
(Shooting – execution-style)

Jonathan Ferrell
24 y.o. – Killed by police September 14, 2013 in Charlotte-Mecklenburg
(Shooting – after he knocked on a door and asked for help after a car accident.
He was shot once, then nine more times after he fell. Officer charged with manslaughter
but the trial ended in a mistrial.)

Miriam Carey
34 y.o. – Killed by police October 3, 2013 in Washington, D.C.
(Shooting)

Tyler Damon Woods
19 y.o. – Killed by police November, 2013 in California
(Shooting)

Ramarley Graham
18 y.o. – Killed by police February 2, 2012 in the Bronx, New York City
(Shooting)

Manuel Loggins Jr.
31 y.o. – Killed by police February 7, 2012 in San Clemente, California
(Shooting)
U.S. Marine

Trayvon Martin
17 y.o. – Killed by neighborhood watch volunteer February 26, 2012 in Sanford Florida
(Shooting)

Wendell Allen
20 y.o. – Killed by police March 7, 2012 in New Orleans

(Shooting – Officer plead guilty to manslaughter and received a four year prison sentence.)

Kendrec McDade
19 y.o. – Killed by police March 24, 2012 in Pasadena, California
(Shooting – “shot seven times at close range and handcuffed afterward.” )

Shelley Frey
27 y.o. – Killed by off-duty police December 6, 2012 in Houston, Texas
(Shooting)

Darnisha Harris
16 y.o. – Killed by police December 2, 2012 in Louisiana
(Shooting)

Malissa Williams and Timothy Russell
Williams: 30 y.o./ Russell: 43 y.o. – Killed by police November 29, 2012 in Cleveland, Ohio
(Shooting – “over 137 bullets had been fired.”)

Shantel Davis
23 y.o. – Killed by police June 14, 2012 in Brooklyn, New York
(Shooting)

Rekia Boyd
22 y.o. – Killed by off-duty police March 22, 2012 in Chicago, Illinois
(Shooting)

Alesia Thomas
35 y.o. – Killed by police July 22, 2012 in Los Angeles, California
(In police custody – kicked seven times in the groin, abdomen, and upper thigh. Cocaine use/ Cause of death unclear)

Shereese Francis
29 y.o. – Killed by police March 15, 2012 in New York City
(In police custody – suffocation – responding to a mental health call, officers punched her, pushed her down
and forced her “face-down on the bed” and applied “pressure while they cuffed her.”

Anthony Lamar Smith
24 y.o. – Killed by police December 20, 2011 in St. Louis, Missouri
(Shooting)

Aiyana Stanley-Jones
7 y.o. – Killed by police May 16, 2010 in Detroit, Michigan
(Shooting – as she slept on her couch)

Julius Johnson
23 y.o. – Killed by police September 23, 2009 in Muskegon, Michigan
(Shooting)

Tarika Wilson
26 y.o. – KIlled by police January 4, 2008 in Lima, Ohio
(Shooting, along with her one-year-old son, who “was wounded and had a finger amputated.”)

Julian Alexander
20 y.o. – Killed by police October 28, 2008 in Anaheim, California
(Shooting – after hearing commotion outside, he went to investigate and was shot. He was
newly married with a baby on the way.)

Kathryn Johnston
92 y.o. – Killed by police November 21, 2006 in Atlanta, Georgia
(Shooting – three officers involved were given prison sentences: ten years, six years, and five years)

Kendra James
21 y.o. – Killed by police May 5, 2003 in Portland, Oregan

Ramsey Robert Harvey
44 y.o. – Killed by deputy December 23, 2005 in LaFollette, Tennessee

Alberta Spruill
57 y.o. – Killed by heart attack caused by police “no-knock warrant” and their use of a police grenade
on May 16, 2003 in New York City. The police had the wrong address.)

Tyisha Miller
19 y.o. – Killed by police December 28, 1998 in Riverside, California
(Shooting)

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The following sites list various statistics (some list all races) regarding police shootings.

Please keep in mind: