A number of musicians have spoken out about the death of Rayshard Brooks, the 27-year-old black man who was fatally shot in the back by Atlanta police at a Wendy’s drive-through on Friday night.
Billie Eilish posted footage of Brooks on Instagram, writing: “man F—. watching this video made me so f—ing angry. F— THIS SHIT. JUSTICE FOR RAYSHARD BROOKS. F— THIS SHIIIIIIIIT. #justiceforrayshard !!!! WHY ISNT EVERYONE TALKING ABOUT THIS??”
Shortly after, Eilish’s brother Finneas also took to social media to express his frustration. “Justice for Rayshard. This is so f—ed up man. And such a good example of EXACTLY what’s so f—ed up about the police in America. Asleep in his car in a parking lot. Shot to death. Don’t let yourself be numb to this. Don’t let the world stay this way.”
Killer Mike also spoke out about Brooks’ death. “I am mad as hell and I am saddened beyond consolation,” the Run the Jewels rapper wrote on Instagram. “#RayshardBrooks should be alive this morning. He should be waking up (hungover or drunk in the tank depending on whether he was apprehended) and not dead.”
Brooks was asleep inside his car in a parking lot before police was called onto the scene, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. After he failed a sobriety test, an altercation ensued and Brooks ran away before being shot by one of the police officers, who has now reportedly been terminated.
“If I’m the Wendy’s worker who called the police, I feel like shit this morning because a call for a man sleeping in a car should not have ended with his killing,” Killer Mike continued. “If I’m the people with the child in the car, I feel helpless and hurt. If I’m that child, I’m scared shitless of anyone with a uniform and a gun. If I’m the angry white or black guy who was filming and saying, ‘I watched y’all for twenty minutes,’ I’m wondering what else I could have done?”
Mike also spoke about the need for a law that prevents individuals from being shot while fleeing. “If there is no weapon, fleeing from an officer should be a foot chase and radio race. If a person gets away, they get away. As I have said before, I will continue to look to and support grassroots organizations who are doing the work, day in and day out.”
Protests broke out in Atlanta during the weekend over Brooks’ death. Rapper T.I. took to the streets, saying: “I don’t give a damn what your opinion is of the person. I don’t give a damn what he did. The man didn’t deserve to die like that. And any policeman out here who stands behind that shit your ass in trouble too.”
See Billie, Finneas, and Killer Mike’s posts below.
For resources in the fight against racism and police brutality, as well as a list of organizations you can donate to, click here.
