Another unarmed black teen has lost his life at the hands of overzealous citizen abusing their power. 13-year-old Darius Simmons, of Milwaukee, was shot and killed by neighbor John Henry Spooner who accused the him of stealing.
Simmons was in school during the robbery that Spooner accused him of, and was at home taking out the trash when he was confronted by his neighbor. The 75-year-old shot the boy in his chest, despite the fact that he raised his arms to show that he didn’t have a weapon.
A friend, who had breakfast with Spooner one hour before the murder, revealed that the senior citizen suspected the boy of theft and wanted to take matters in his own hands, since the police failed to act to his liking. Spooner was charged with first-degree intentional homicide because he conversed about the incident beforehand. Like George Zimmerman, Spooner was allowed bond, which was set at $300,000, $30,000 of which he will have to pay in order to be released. His family was also allowed to remove items from his home—even though it was a crime scene.
While Trayvon Martin’s story has gotten the most national press, there are countless similar incidents that have taken place since the 17-year-old was killed. According to the website Crooks & Liars, 30 black people have unjustly lost their lives in the last few months, including 15-year-old Derrick Gaines who was shot by a San Francisco Police officer after he was approached for “acting suspicious.”
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