Jaheim McMillan’s mother, BLM and NAACP demand accountability in Black teen’s killing

The mother of 15-year-old Jaheim McMillan, Black Lives Matter Grassroots and other activists are calling for a federal civil rights investigation into the Black teen’s shooting death by a Gulfport police officer.

“I am so disappointed by the decision and had hope that Mississippi would do the right thing, but they do not have the courage,” Jaheim’s mother, Katrina Mateen, said in a statement released by Black Lives Matter Grassroots, a non-profit group made up of over a dozen BLM chapters.

On Friday, the Mississippi and Gulfport branch of the NAACP joined the mother and activists demanding accountability from law enforcement and to question why Gulfport police didn’t attempt to use any less lethal tactics during the Oct. 6 encounter with McMillan and four other teens.

The statement comes in the aftermath of a review of Gulfport police body and dash cam footage of the shooting.

“What you don’t see in the video were any attempts to deescalate the situation or any expert training that could have spared the life of a 15-year-old kid,” Gary Fredericks, president of the Gulfport branch of the NAACP said in a release Friday. “The video only shows a quick fatal shooting that put everyone on the scene in danger.”

The grand jury report released Wednesday cleared Officer Kenneth Nassar of any criminal wrongdoing.

The shooting happened shortly after Gulfport police responded to a 911 call in the area of Pass Road and 8th Avenue in reference to minors — since identified as McMillan and four other teens — who were in a silver Kia Soul wearing masks and waving guns at motorists.

Nassar and another Gulfport police officer caught up with the teens after they pulled into a Family Dollar store in Gulfport on the afternoon of Oct. 6.

McMillan and another teen jumped out of the car and ran with guns in their hands.

Body camera video released in fatal Gulfport police shooting of Jaheim McMillan

In police body and dash cam footage, McMillan is seen running in front of the store with a gun near his side when Nassar fires eight shots, ultimately resulting in McMillan’s death.

Nassar started shooting just seconds after he got out of his patrol car and ordered McMillan to drop his weapon.

Mateens and the BLM’s members and other activist are disputing claims from police that McMillan “became a threat when he exited the vehicle.”

“Jaheim McMillan’s family and activists are challenging the story from law enforcement saying that security camera videos, the refusal to release the unedited video, and event the nature of the brief clip the family has been allowed to see warrant a further and impartial investigation,” the statement said.

The Mississippi Department of Public Safety released a 100-page investigative report on the shooting, along with three video clips.

The first video is a combination of police dash cam and body camera footage that is edited and slowed down by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation. Certain parts of the video are highlighted with red arrows or circles pointing to point to such things as the guns in Jaheim and another teen’s hand when they jumped out of the car and ran.

In another part of the edited footage, the red marks point to such things as as a gun found in the parking lot a distance away from the teen after the shooting.

“White officials in Mississippi are working to impede Black progress in every possible way — from attempting to block Black political power to refusing to protect the sanctity of Black life, “ Melina Abdullah, director of BLM Grassroots, said in the statement. “It is clear that Mississippi state and local governments seek to continue their long legacy of Black oppression and dehumanization.”

The NAACP in its call for more accountability pointed to research from the University of Cincinnati conducted in collaboration with the Louisville, Kentucky, metro police department.

The NAACP cites results of the student that “includes evidence that deescalation training can make police encounters with the public safer for all.”

The study the NAACP cited was led by UC Professor Robin Engel, who has been researching policing strategies for over two years. The results, as referred to by the NAACP, say that deescalation training in law enforcement tactics led to 28% fewer use-of-force incidents, 26% fewer injuries to the public and and 36% fewer officers’ injuries.

“The countless killings by police in our state (Mississippi) and across our country must stop,” said Nsombi Lambright-Haynes, criminal justice chair for the Mississippi NAACP. “Each of these incidents is a prime example of why police must have a good relationship with the community. We must work together. Imagine how many of our young people would still be alive if police were properly trained to deescalate these situations.”

Meanwhile, local activist Marquell Bridges, who was among five demonstrators arrested during a protest in Gulfport said “we will keep fighting for justice and accountability for this child (McMIllan), whose life was stolen by Gulfport police.”

Other in- and out-of-state activists are in Gulfport to provide support to Mateen and the community in the aftermath of the grand jury ruling.

Andrew Joseph Jr. whose 14-year-old son was hit and killed while crossing a highway after a run-in with Tampa, Florida authorities in 2014, is among those on the ground.

“For black lives to matter in Mississippi, federal civil rights action is urgent,” Joseph said in the statement.

Jaheim’s family hired high-profile civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump to represent them. He could not be reached for comment on Wednesday or Thursday.