SPLC: Full Investigation Required for Death of 18-Year-Old Devon Gregory
Gregory’s death yet another example of continued police killings of Black Americans and the need for systemic change
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – On Tuesday, November 17, four police officers with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) shot more than 30 rounds into Devon Gregory’s vehicle during a traffic stop in Jacksonville. The medical coroner concluded that Gregory’s cause of death was from a self-inflicted gunshot.
The following statement is from Lecia Brooks, Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) chief of staff:
“Our hearts break for the family and loved ones of Devon Gregory. Devon should be alive today and his death reflects an ongoing pattern of American police departments’ extrajudicial killings, unnecessary lethal force and violence against young Black people.
“The JSO’s default to aggression and force in what should have been a routine traffic stop underscores the very reasons why Black Americans’ mistrust and fear of the police has only grown. Until the police killings stop, the collective trauma and stresses that Black Americans must face during police encounters will only escalate.
“We demand a full investigation into the death of Devon. This incident requires a thorough investigation from the attorney general of the state of Florida, as well as the state’s cooperation with federal agencies and investigators.”
