Recent events after the shooting of Walter Wallace Jr by police have showcased the tension felt between the police and the black neighborhoods they watch.
The most recent event has the police, while trying to maintain control over a possibly dangerous riot crowd converging on a slowly moving SUV driving on Chestnut Street's 5200 block.
An unnamed woman was driving the SUV. She held one passenger and a child strapped down in the back in a car seat. This happened around 2 a.m., Tuesday morning.
Police Reaction to the SUV
The police all converged on the SUV and proceeded, according to witness video to hit and bash in the vehicle's windows.
After the vehicle stopped police removed the driver from the car using force. They also subsequently dragged another person from the passenger's seat outside the car.
The woman was beaten by the police while her strapped in child looked out from the backseat. You can see her being dragged out from the driver's side and then pushed onto the sidewalk. It appears as if they are still beating her. The child was taken out of the police. But you can't make it out from the video.
Surrounding Crowd Behavior
April Rice's video, shot from the top of another building, shows that the crowd, although unsettled, had not been particularly vicious. The police in riot gear seemed to be holding their own and possibly subduing the crowd.
All the crowd was throwing was projectiles. Nothing more serious than that. This video is circulating via social media, and anyone can see it. Surprisingly, the most dangerous threat to the police was the SUV driving down the road.
Police Reaction to the Video Shot by April Rice
Asking the police commissioner about the video elicits, she has no knowledge of the event nor the police officers involved. Another press conference was held wherein the commissioner states the officer's identity was ascertained.
He is on administrative leave, pending the results of an investigation. She did not state what happened to the woman involved or any disposition of charges thereof.
Local reaction
This all occurred following the shooting of Walter Wallace Jr., by a police officer who could be heard on his body cam saying "shoot him."
Do you think that this event along with the killing of George Floyd, will spur and put more fuel on the fire to abolish the police?
According to some of the news articles since the event, it seems to be gaining momentum. But for right now, to the family of Walter Wallace Jr., and the family of the woman and child of the SUV, our thoughts are with you.
