It is with a heavy heart that we address you. We were all heartbroken to learn of the event that happened on Thursday evening where Kevin Peterson, Jr.’s life was taken by the Clark County Sheriff Dept. We do not know all of the concrete details surrounding this event but we do know that a life was lost and our hearts and prayers are with this family.
We would like the community to focus on the events that took place that night, and the justice that needs to be served, we should not get lost in any information that might come up in Kevin’s history. When someone is stopped by the police it should not have to end with them dying. No matter what the person’s background is, no matter what the reason is for the stop. There should be and there needs to be a better way to handle these interactions.
Last night’s events ripped open a wound that will never completely heal and that wound is the experience we have with black lives being taken at the hands of law enforcement.
We have been made aware of a vigil set for 7 p.m. at 6829 NE Highway 99. We support the altruistic efforts that went into this because we want to grieve with this family and our community. It is unfortunate that when we plan to participate in the collective grief for black trauma it also means there will be members of the community that are against us. We want to make sure that those attending this evening are aware of that so that they can prioritize their personal safety first.
Please know that peacekeepers in the community are planning to attend so that our grief is protected and can happen safely. As we learn more we will keep you informed.
~NAACP Vancouver 1139
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