SPLC Statement on Trayford Pellerin Killing

LAFAYETTE, La. — Southern Poverty Law Center President and Chief Executive Officer Margaret Huang issued the below statement following the killing of Trayford Pellerin, a 31-year-old Black man, who was shot by Lafayette police several times as he walked away from them.

Pellerin’s death comes amid ongoing demonstrations calling for a complete overhaul of our nation’s policing systems following the killings of Black people, including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Sean Reed, Yassin Mohamed, Rayshard Brooks and Ahmaud Arbery by police and vigilantes.

“I am angered that amid a national movement demanding an end to police violence against Black people that we are mourning the death of another Black man, Mr. Trayford Pellerin. Lafayette police shot Mr. Pellerin several times as he walked away from them. His killing demands an analysis of the excessive use of force by law enforcement. We fully support movement leaders’ calls for a swift and transparent investigation into Mr. Pellerin’s killing.

“We urge elected leaders to take steps to establish immediate solutions to the epidemic of police violence and to begin the reimagining of the policing system across our country.”