#Meeghan Black

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

A teenager who tried to return a malfunctioning replica gun that shoots plastic projectiles to a sporting goods store in Washington state was shot to death by an off-duty security guard who believed the boy was holding a real gun and planned to rob the business, according to authorities.

The man arrested in the killing, 51-year-old Aaron Myers, told police that he was not working at the time he shot and killed Hazrat Ali Rohani, who was returning a malfunctioning airsoft gun to the Big 5 store in Renton. But he had offered to keep watch due to alleged rising crime in the area.

Investigators said security footage, which has not been publicly released, contradicted Myers’ statements to police, leading to his arrest. Authorities also said Myers is not a law enforcement officer and therefore “has not been trained in how to safely prevent crime” despite his employment as a security guard.

Rohani’s death is the latest in a spate of shootings across the US of people approaching homes or businesses for an innocent reason.

Experts say the US, which has more guns than residents, has a disproportionate number of those shootings because people assume – often incorrectly – they can use firearms with impunity thanks to lax weapons laws and self-defense statutes that are generally permissive.

Myers was allegedly waiting for his son to come out of jiu-jitsu class at the martial arts studio next to Big 5 when three teenagers walked past his car, including one who held an airsoft gun that Myers said appeared to be a Glock pistol.

Police said Myers then pointed the gun issued to him for his security job at the teens and told them to put their hands in the air. Meeghan Black, a Renton police spokesperson, told CBS that the teenagers immediately complied and tried to explain their gun was not real.

But Black said Myers fired several shots after claiming “the confrontation intensified … rapidly”, hitting and killing 17-year-old Rohani.

Police said Myers stood over Rohani and continued to shoot, which he claimed he did because he believed one of the teen’s companions was reaching for a gun in Rohani’s waistband.

A statement from police said King county sheriff’s office deputies were completing a training exercise nearby when they heard the shooting. They tried to provide first aid to Rohani, but he died at the scene, the sheriff’s office said.

The other teens present at the incident told police they were “dealing with functioning issues on the airsoft gun and wanted to take it back” to the store to either return or exchange it, officials said. The teens said they needed help with “a magazine issue [Rohani] was having with the firearm”.

In court documents, King county prosecutor Leesa Manion alleged Myers “took it upon himself to conduct ‘overwatch’ in a Renton parking lot, despite the fact that he is not a member of law enforcement and thus has not been trained in how to safely prevent crime”.

“Rather than calling 911 or waiting for any evidence at all that could confirm or deny his assumption, he claimed he had a ‘duty to intervene’ and did so,” Manion added.

Myers faces two felony counts of second-degree murder and assault. He could received a maximum punishment of life imprisonment if convicted as charged.

[thepunktheory]

Top 5 Tuesday: bookish villains

Hey, guys!It’s Tuesday, which means it’s time for a bookish favorites post. Top 5 Tuesday is hosted by Meeghan over on Meeghan Reads and is quite simple: check out the topic and write a post with your picks. For today’s topic, we’re looking at some bookish villains… #1 The Cruel Prince Up first, we have Cardan from Holly Blacks The Folk of the Air series. I don’t know if it is controversial to…

[guide-to-galaxy]

Top 5 (green books) Tuesday

I do like green so here are some green books! Head over to Meeghan @ Meeghan Reads for more prompts. We’ll have the new prompts up soon! 📚🚀📚 The Absinthe Underground by Jamie Pacton (GR/SG) – Moulin Rouge meets Holly Black in a thrilling sapphic friends-to-lovers romantasy!This lavish and decedent LGBTQ+ fantasy romance will leave fans of Divine Rivals and Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries…

[blackqueerblog]

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#SayHerName: Florida Police Viciously Beat 14-Year-Old Black Girl for ‘Resisting Arrest’

WFLA reports that Coral Springs police have come to the defense of the unidentified officer, saying that the young teen was “unruly” and part of a group (you know they wanted to say “gang”) who were allegedly harassing patrons at a mall.

“Upon meeting with security, an officer was stopped by a mother, who indicated her 5-year old child was shoved to the ground by one of the teens,” Coral Springs police said, according to the outlet. “In addition, mall security indicated one of the female teens (arrested) was seen striking another teen patron.”

It continues:

The teens were given a no trespass warning, but two of the teens returned to the mall. One of them, a male, was arrested without incident, but police said the girl seen in the video “began cursing, attempting to incite the other teens,” and resisted arrest when officers tried to detain her.

One wonders how she was trying to “incite the other teens”?

In an attempt to copsplain their actions, in a statement, Coral Springs police claim the teen “violently kicked” the officer after she was placed in handcuffs:

“Due to her stature and aggressive behavior, officers took her to the ground attempting to get her to release her fists. As seen in the video she resisted arrest, and in order to have her to comply she was struck in the side to release her clenched fists—she was then handcuffed.”

“The officer’s actions were 100 percent within policy, legal and were not excessive,” Dept. Chief Brad McKeone told reporters, according to CBS Miami.

The incident was put on Instagram by a person identifying herself as the girl’s cousin, Victoria Cedeno.

The 14-year-old  Florida teen was arrested and charged with battery on an officer, trespassing and resisting arrest, and taken to the Broward County’s Juvenile Assessment Center.

The girl’s lawyer, Meeghan Moldof, told NBC Miami, “Immediately watching the video, I could not believe what I was seeing. To me, it’s very clear it’s excessive force. There’s no reason for him to hit her.”

Moldof said the girl’s mother, Jessica Dennis is considering filing a lawsuit against the police department. Dennis says the “video was difficult to watch.”

Source: https://www.theroot.com/sayhername-florida-police-viciously-beat-14-year-old-1829894526

[teedropp]

EAT THE MOTHER FUCKING RICH

LOOTERS HIT BELLEVUE SQUARE FUCK YES

MEEGHAN BLACK IS COVERING THIS CALLING THEM CRIMINALS TELL ME HOW I CAN TRUST SOMEONE WHO SPELLS MEGAN LIKE THAT

[nickyschneiderus]

Video of a 14-year-old girl getting punched by cops surfaces

A video of a 14-year-old Black girl being repeatedly punched by police has surfaced, once more bringing up online conversation about police brutality and racial bias.  The unnamed teen is shown pinned to the ground by Coral Springs, Fla. police in a video that began circulating on social media over the weekend.

OUTRAGEOUS!

This is a Coral Springs police officer repeatedly punching a 14-YEAR-OLD BLACK GIRL.

This is WHY WE KNEEL!!

RETWEET THIS! pic.twitter.com/k8IdfAabai

— StanceGrounded (@_SJPeace_) October 19, 2018

The incident occurred on Thursday, Oct. 18. In the video, originally posted to Instagram by a woman claiming to be the girl’s cousin, a woman can be heard shouting, “Why you hitting her?”

Prompted by the video, a conversation about excessive force quickly unfolded on Twitter. Many people criticized the officers for what they saw as “corruption in the police,” while others questioned what she had done to deserve the treatment.

The kid was unruly. Read the article. Try being a cop sometime. She deserved it.

— C w C (@da_crazy_pus) October 20, 2018

She's a kid. Can't they find a better way? https://t.co/mJMaxHKRR1

— Ei has had it with the GOP

(@EileenCumming20) October 19, 2018

“Police are humans and are prone to respond in an animalistic fashion when prompted just like any one of us,” one Twitter user wrote. “The attention is all on the cop but what did she do to prompt this. They didn’t just grab her pin her and hit her for nothing!”

Actually it does matter! Police are humans and are prone to respond in an animalistic fashion when prompted just like any one of us! The attention is all on the cop but what did she do to prompt this. They didn’t just grab her pin her and hit her for nothing!

— James (@Dougy7060) October 19, 2018

Coral Springs Police released a statement about the video the next day. “As with all social media posts, it shows only the end of the story, not the incident in its entirety which led up to the arrest,” the statement reads.

According to the statement, the teen was part of a group who had been “harassing patrons and causing a disturbance.” The teens had been causing issues for mall security, and when police arrived, “security indicated one of the teens [arrested] was seen striking another teen patron.” After the teens were banned from the mall, police received word they had returned.

“One of the male teens was taken into custody without incident. As a result, the female teen seen in the video, began cursing, attempting to incite the other teens,” the statement reads. “Officers attempted to take her into custody, at which time she began to fight and resist arrest.”

pic.twitter.com/vN9fynbqqp

— Coral Springs Police (@CoralSpringsPD) October 19, 2018

The teen allegedly “violently kicked” an officer as police attempted to place her in the patrol car. She was transported to the Justice Administrative Commission (JAC) and charged with battery on a police officer, resisting arrest, and trespassing. She has since been released.

In an interview with WSVN 7News in Miami, the girl’s mother, Jessica Dennis, said she couldn’t keep watching the video. “It was just too much, because it just makes you angry,” she said. “I mean, I was heartbroken.”

The family’s attorney, Meeghan Moldof, said the arresting officer used excessive force. “It’s clear from the video that my client was on the ground,” Moldof told WSVN in an interview. “Her hands are under her belly, the officer’s knees are on her back, and he’s just gut-shotting her, like one after another.”

H/T Buzzfeed

from Ricky Schneiderus Curation https://www.dailydot.com/irl/black-teen-cops-punched/

[gregthatoneguy]

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A post shared by Greg Macdonald (@gregmercd)

#Repost @dnice • • • • • • #Repost @vasjmorgan Officer William Dowsing Badge #548 pulled her over. And THIS is what happened. Her son had to stand by and film. He feared he’d be killed if he tried to help his mum. She was pulled over because her new vehicle hadn’t been transferred to her name yet. She called for help, she screamed for her husband who was nearby. Her cries were ignored. Officer William Dowsing is still in active duty. And here’s what you can do to help this BLACK woman! Please email. Public Information Officer Contact: Meeghan Black Email: bellevuepd@bellevuewa.gov Office of Accountability Contact: Kevin Masseth Email: bpdaccountability@bellevuewa.gov And demand Justice! And for officer William Dowsing badge number #548 to be fired. https://www.instagram.com/p/CBbhBBzAu44xHPAjZ4tOaNvMjah6YEGReuUr1o0/?igshid=srovml3dv7xc

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Top 5 (books written by a Black Author) Tuesday

Of course it’s important to read books by a Black author and/or with Black characters all year around – not just during this month. I’ll definitely be looking at others’ posts to see what books they recommend. Check out Meeghan @ Meeghan Reads to look at the other prompts! 📚🚀📚 So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole (GR/SG/5 Reasons to Read) – Faron Vincent can channel the power of the gods. Five…

[thepunktheory]

Top 5 Tuesday: books by Black authors

Hey, guys!It’s Tuesday, which means it’s time for a bookish favorites post. Top 5 Tuesday is hosted by Meeghan over on Meeghan Reads and is quite simple: check out the topic and write a post with your picks. Today we’re tackling some amazing Black authors. As my list consists of both books that I’ve read and things that are on my tbr pile, I’ll leave you with the Goodreads blurbs, so we can…

[guide-to-galaxy]

Top 5 (books that scare you) Tuesday

Top 5 (books that scare you) Tuesday

What Meeghan @ Meeghan Reads says, so shall I. Which books has she chosen? Scare yourself here by looking! Once again, GR is for Goodreads and SG is for The Storygraph. 📚🚀📚 The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass (GR/SG) – Get Out meets Danielle Vega in this YA horror where survival is not a guarantee. Jake Livingston is one of the only Black kids at St. Clair Prep, one of the others…