Today’s story is about Jamar (Clark) Burns-Hill, Jamar Burns. This story is entirely true, and much too common in America. It’s another story about police brutality against a black American citizen. This happened in Minneapolis in 2015, and the young man we’re talking about was just 24 at the time.
What Happened
It all started when paramedics responded to a call. Burns and his girlfriend got into an argument near the paramedics, and then police were called on them.
They were both visiting a friend’s apartment for a party. It is believed that Clark’s girlfriend got into a fight with someone else. The other party hurt Clark’s girlfriend, and the girlfriend went to retaliate. Clark pulled her away and tried to defuse the situation. As he did so, his girlfriend hit him before the pair left the party.
Paramedics showed up and put Clark’s girlfriend in the ambulance. He approached the vehicle and tried talking to her, where he was swiftly taken to the ground by police officers. They arrested him and put a knee on his chest while he was on the ground.
During this time, there were calls made by the police officers requesting a lot of backup due to the size of the crowd. This definitely made the officers feel more on edge during the process.
After some time, he was shot point-blank in the head. There is controversy as to what happened between these two points in time.
The Controversy
The police and EMS records say that Jamar Burns was resisting arrest. They claim that he was never handcuffed and he was brought to the ground to restrain him. They say that Jamar Burns attempted to steal an officer’s gun, and the other officer shot him in the head.
Eye-witness reports from citizens on the street disagree. Witnesses in the area say that they saw Clark laying on the ground, handcuffed, perfectly still, and complying with police before he was shot.
The forensic report that was filed says that Jamar (Clark) Burns-Hill was not handcuffed at the time of being taken to the hospital. People believe that the handcuffs were removed by police prior to taking him to the hospital.
The Response
The Police Officers Federation deemed that the officers reacted correctly and they didn’t need any disciplinary action. This is despite the family’s and community’s pleas for justice.
Later, during a Black Lives Matter protest in honor of Clark, five protestors were shot in the street. Later protests were blocked and lead to arrests of participants.