Milwaukee, WI – According to FightBack!News, hundreds of people rallied in downtown here, Dec. 22, after District Attorney John Chisholm released his decision to not pursue charges against former Milwaukee police officer, Christopher Manney, in the fatal shooting of Dontre Hamilton last April.
Here is what can be seen on Twitter:
Black. Lives. Matter. Milwaukee. #DontreHamilton pic.twitter.com/FhCkT2ELVB
— deray mckesson (@deray) December 24, 2014
On April 30, Hamilton was sleeping on a bench in Milwaukee’s Red Arrow Park when nearby Starbucks employees called the police to report his presence. After other officers had determined Hamilton was not a threat and allowed him to remain where he was, then-officer Christoper Manney arrived, brutalized and killed him.
After the early morning District Attorney announcement, Hamilton family supporters congregated at Red Arrow Park, where Dontre Hamilton was shot 14 times by Manney. A silent, yet powerful march was led by organizers from Red Arrow Park to the stairs of the federal courthouse. The Hamilton family, lawyers and community leaders spoke to the press and supporters. They announced that they have asked for a federal investigation. Dontre’s brother, Nate Hamilton, spoke about the former cop who killed his brother, “On April 30 he took a 31-year-old’s life. He massacred my brother. He stood there and looked at him, sized him up and killed him with hate. He killed him with intent. And now he has the mental problem. The whole system has a mental problem!”
Nate then led the crowd in chanting, “Indict, convict, send those killer cops to jail! The whole damn system is guilty as hell!” After the media asked a few questions, supporters took to the streets chanting, “We’re peaceful, not calm!” and “Whose streets? Dontre’s streets!”
At a demonstration at Red Arrow Park, Dontre Hamilton’s mother said, “This is not Red Arrow Park anymore; it’s Dontre’s Park.”
Supporters of the Hamilton family will be meeting again at Dontre’s Park at 5:00 pm on Dec. 23 to express their outrage at the decision not to charge Manney with murder.
More photos:
Protest in Milwaukee for #DontreHamilton | pics @deray | > http://t.co/PhZnKjXAia > http://t.co/rFs5gjDS2X pic.twitter.com/iTtz8prJKb
— Revolution News (@NewsRevo) December 22, 2014
Marching now in #Milwaukee for #DontreHamilton 2 LIVESTREAMS: >http://t.co/PhZnKjXAia >http://t.co/rFs5gjDS2X pic.twitter.com/bEpzutVCnu
— Revolution News (@NewsRevo) December 24, 2014