Meek Mill slams killing of Walter Wallace Jr by Philadelphia cops, says 'coulda been resolved with a taser'
Yet another Black man has lost his life in America reportedly at the hands of police brutality and celebrities are using their platform to show that they aren't having any of it. Rapper, activist and Philly native Meek Mill has taken to his social media account to speak out against the shooting of 27-year-old Walter Wallace Jr by Philadelphia police on October 27.
According to a post on Instagram shared by The Shade Room, the rapper wrote on his Instagram Stories, “A so called ‘thug on the streets’ wouldn’t shoot a man with a small knife that many times to protect themselves…. the hood been seeing this our whole lives.” Mill noted, “I posted for y’all to see a young man killed in front of his mom and coulda been resolved with a tazer or a shot or 2! Let’s help her ASAP!”
Wallace Jr. was shot "several times", according to reports, after the police claimed he advanced toward and refused to put down a knife in his hand. To reiterate Mill's note, the officers weren't carrying tasers, according to authorities.
Additionally, Wallace's cousin, Anthony Fitzhugh, has told NBC Philadelphia that Wallace struggled with mental health-related issues and a lawyer for Wallace's family said they had called for an ambulance to deal with a mental health crisis, not the police. Wallace's mother had to witness her son being shot in front of her after trying to calm him down. Graphic footage of the incident shows her running to his lifeless body.
Mill's fans have also voiced their anger and distaste for the actions of the police. "He made a point. Even us regular civilians wouldn’t shoot a person down like that just because they’re holding a small knife. Facts," said a fan in support of Mill's post. "Can we get through at least one month without any violence. This is so sad!" said a fan while another wrote, "The cycle continues..."
One fan shared their support for Wallace's family, saying, "Mental health is real Im sorry he had to endure such violence prayers going up for him and his family." Another user said, "I feel like people forget that even if you’re doing wrong the police aren’t supposed to kill you."
After the shooting, unrest has swelled and protesters have gathered in Philadelphia at Malcolm X Park at 51st and Pine Streets, chanting "Black Lives Matter". Photos and videos of the incident have also circulated around on the Internet.
Wallace is not the only person to have been fatally killed by police in 2020. George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police and Breonna Taylor was fatally shot by Louisville officers in her home. Jacob Blake has survived being shot by cops in Kenosha, Wisconsin.