A death that arouses anger in Ohio. The family of Donovan Lewis, a 20-year-old black man shot dead by police while he was in bed, will file a complaint, his lawyer announced on Friday, September 2. He died at dawn on Tuesday in Columbus, the capital of this Midwestern state.
A video from the body camera of one of the officers, who had an arrest warrant, shows a police officer accompanied by a dog opening the door of a room then, almost immediately, shooting at the young man , who was in a bed. An investigation was opened and Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther promised on Twitter “full transparency” on the “tragic death of Donovan Lewis”.
Within SECONDS of encountering 20-yo Donovan Lewis, a Columbus (OH) police officer shot and killed him! Police rep… https://t.co/Td1nlESOj2
Rex Elliott, the lawyer for the family of Donovan Lewis, had denounced in a press release “excessive and absolutely unnecessary use of force”. « Shot by shot, the video [de la caméra-piéton] Reveals the Truth: Three White Police Officers Accompanied by an Aggressive Police Dog Squad Shot and Killed an Unarmed 20-Year-Old in Cold Blood as He Got Up from Bed in Accordance with Police Orders”he said.
“Demand justice for Donovan Lewis”
Contacted by Agence France-Presse (AFP), the Columbus police could not be reached immediately. Its boss, Elaine Bryant, quoted by media, claimed that the officer fired when Donovan Lewis appeared to raise his arm and hold something in his hand. Only an electronic cigarette was found near him, she said.
Rallies are planned all weekend in Columbus to “demand justice for Donovan Lewis”said on Twitter Ramon Obey II, of the organization JUST (Justice, Unity and Social Transformation).
All long weekend!!! Justice for Donovan Lewis #DonovanLewis #blm #ColumbusOH #f12 #cpd #justicefor #blackpower https://t.co/lmGZaAE02t
The event recalls other deaths of black people during interactions with the police, tragedies that sparked a great movement against racism and police brutality in 2020.