The Newark Antiviolence Coalition held its 15th annual National Day of Action Oct. 22.
The organization highlighted the recent police killing of two men that occurred on North 7th Street near Abington Avenue in Newark. Reports indicate police were responding to a call of criminal activity in the area on the morning of Sept. 30. The description of the three alleged suspects, one being a 17-year-old boy, matched who officers were looking for.
When confronted by police, the suspects did not surrender when officers tried to arrest them, resulting in the officers opening fire and killing two of the men. The 17-year-old was not hurt but was arrested. Police say a gun was found on the teen.
The incident is raising serious questions because it is not clear if officers knew there was a gun or if the suspects fired. NAVC said the shooting occurred in broad daylight near two schools and officers could have killed civilians.
“It was horrible,” NAVC chair Keesha Eure said. “Two schools, two churches, a community center, all right there. It has to stop.”
NAVC also celebrated the 21 Chibok girls who were released from captivity by Boko Haram. Shortly after their capture, the organization held a rally condemning violence against Black females locally with the killing of Cheyanne Bond and the capture in Africa of the Chibok girls.
The organization is calling on the international community to continue to weigh in on United Nations’ structures to condemn and isolate violence against women in all forms as dictated by the U.N. Charter.