Oops! We thought he had a gun!' So you shot me in the back three times 'cause you thought I had a gun? I was gonna sue, but they said they was gonna kill me. I was 18 years old, I didn't have nobody, I didn't have all this. They kept pickin' me up, kept lockin' my ass up, beating me, until I dropped the lawsuit. When I dropped the lawsuit, that's when everything stopped. That's what the fuck happened to me. I was terrorized by some terrorists.
In the book "Ferguson in Black and White" by Jeff Smith, a powerful quote illustrates the experience of a young man who was wrongfully targeted by police. He reflects on being shot multiple times due to a mistaken belief that he possessed a weapon. At just 18 years old, he felt isolated and helpless, facing constant harassment and violence from law enforcement, which left him traumatized and seeking justice.
The young man's ordeal exemplifies the profound impact of systemic issues within law enforcement, highlighting a cycle of intimidation that ultimately forced him to abandon his pursuit of legal recourse. His story reveals the harsh realities faced by marginalized individuals, where the threat of violence can stifle their fight for justice, leaving them feeling like victims of terror within their own communities.
