MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — A Police Sergeant with the Mobile Police Department expressed his outrage over the murders that happened in Mobile this year during a news conference about a 14-year-old who was murdered early Wednesday morning.
In the early morning hours of Wednesday, June 1, a 14-year-old girl was shot and killed at Michael Donald Avenue in Mobile. Lamonyae Forrest, 18, and a 16-year-old were arrested in connection with Ciara Jackson’s murder. Forrest claimed the death of Ciara was “accidental” while being escorted to Mobile Metro Jail. Afterward, Sgt. John Young held a news conference to discuss the murder.
Sgt. Young was upset about the local murders of children that have happened recently. He asked, “when is enough, enough?”
This 23rd homicide of the year is heartbreaking to me, personally. Ciara is 14. She died on the street named after Michael Donald, who was the last known lynching by the Ku Klux Klan in 1980. 40 years later more innocent blood has been shed on that street that is supposed to memorialize the death and sacrafice. A black girl being gunned down on that street by a black man is disgusting, I’ve said it. There’s a subculture of gun violence in the City of Mobile with young black men, and it’s time we did something about it. I’ve said it, so no one has to be called a racist anymore. Our homicides: 19, 19, 18, 17, 16, 14, 11, at 4-years-old were all black children. When are we as a city going to wake up and say ‘lets address this issue’? I’ve said it, now it’s out in the open, right? Whatever happens to me, fine. If you guys slay me in the media, fine. But don’t forget these innocent black lives that have been lost.
Sgt. John Young, Mobile Police Department
On Monday, May 30, an 11-year-old was fatally shot at the R.V. Taylor Plaza. A spokesperson from the Mobile Housing Authority said Lequinten Morrissette was inside his own home when he was shot and killed. That means that two children were murdered in Mobile County within three days. Back in February, a 4-year-old was killed after his 9-year-old sister allegedly beat him with a broomstick. At 23 homicides halfway through the year, Sgt. Young said he is fed up and calls for change.
We need to figure out, young black men why are you always grabbing weapons to solve these problems? Not all, but the incidents I just named are. Why? There must be a better solution than killing somebody. There has to be a better solution.
Sgt. Young
At the end of the news conference, Sgt. Young suggested that local colleges and universities study and do research into homicides, family history, crime history and more. He ended the conference with “It’s high **** time somebody said something about it.”
