Yo! Youth OutLook

On Sunday May 16, 2010 in Detroit, Michigan police killed 7-year-old Aiyana Jones during a police raid. The raid was done in order to find the killer of a 17-year-old that was gunned down in front of a store with his girlfriend.

Aiyana was asleep on the couch when the police busted in through the door. According to Assistant Chief Ralph Godbee, when the officer came into the door it was said that he had some sort of physical contact with the grandmother of the girl. This was according to CNN, this article and video was put out Monday, May 17, 2010. But now according video evidence that is not what took place.

The report the Assistant Chief Ralph Godbee gave was that Aiyana was shot in the neck/head area. This was suppose to have happened when the officer who has still not been named came into the house and had a tussle with the grandmother. The video that was recorded at the scene shows everything that happened step-by-step.

After reading to other articles that were posted at a later date and watching the videos it gave me more in-sight on what really goes on. The two websites were. The way the police went about this was so wrong and the process wasn’t done right.

While listening to the attorney, what he said was very touching. It seemed as all he wants is justice. The way little Aiyana was killed is very sad. A gas bomb was thrown through the front window which ended up burning her skin. The one shot that was fired through the window was the bullet that hit her.

This is a completely different story then the one the Assistant police Chief told. Now, many are convinced that the story that was told was a lie, which it was. I believe cameras don’t lie. The killing was caught on tape. The officers that were sent to do this job did it very sloppy. I read that the officer that did the shooting is off the job with paid leave until the investigation is complete. Why does he get this opportunity?

After reading the article and watching the news report about the incident it made me think: you can hear different stories about one incident. In the news it said that little Aiyana was shot in the head and neck but in the article it said she was shot in the neck/head area. So this makes you think, “how could you believe some of these things?” I just believe that the reporting was done in a sloppy way. There needs to be one story and they need to stick to it. It is just hard to believe things that the media may say in some cases they try to make things worse then they really are. That some times makes the public react in not a positive way.

The incidents are very heart breaking because she was only a little girl. I believe that the girl wasn't shot on purpose but it does make you think that any person life can be taken at any time. She was only 7-years-old, a father’s only daughter. 

The question that I have about this was where is the mother what was going on with her? I just know that she was heart broken when she received the news or when it happened. I know this just had to be something that was being talked about in the streets of Detroit so I know she found out.

I can’t imagine the pain and hurt she may feel. The police said they would help out the family in any way that they could. But now after fining out that the police lied, I don’t think the family wants the help they are trying to offer. I do have faith that the police department will help. If they have kind hearts and think that this could have easily been their child. I just believe in these situations you have to think as if, what if that was my child or family member?

Now knowing that the family does have a law suit against the police department I am happy because I feel now they will really receive justice. This situation makes me not trust police because it was so easy for them to lie about this. But the thing that hurts me the most is that none of the officers on the scene stepped up to tell the truth.

I have a feeling that the family at this point doesn't really want to hear from the police. But they need to have at least one grounded family member to communicate with the police department or now it can be their lawyer. I feel that justice needs to be served and with a leveled headed person speaking up it will be. I know the justice won't put them at peace but I feel the officer that did the shooting should be fired from his job. The officer should be put behind the desk or behind bars he should not be back out on the streets any time soon. Before going into a house, police need to know who exactly lives in the house. A man on the news said that he had told the police plenty of times that there were kids in the house. The police need to know how many kids stay in the house they are going into.

My heart goes out to the family and the community with this mind blowing lose, but with all the right steps everything will be alright. I know it will never be the same because Aiyana will not be there but there will be some peace of mind with the family.

The police have only released a statement about the shooting they did not release the officers name that did the shooting. Also, the suspect they were looking for in the shooting of the 17-year-old boy was found in the apartment up stairs from where Ayiana lived. I believe that the officer didn't mean to shoot Ayiana but I don't understand why he was shooting from outside the window. A question I have is what do they have to say now that the truth is out?

I feel the community should step up and help in any positive way that they can. There is no need to shine a negative light on the situation. They should have community meeting about what happened and similar situations that may have taken place like this one. If they feel that the officer is not being dealt with in a timely manner or in a proper way they should protest and get their voice out there and be heard. But I just don't want it to be gone about it the wrong way.

 

 

 

-- Jockula Ballard

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