ORLANDO, Fl – On August 7, 2020, 22 year old Salaythis Melvin, a young black man, was executed by an Orange County Deputy. The Deputy claimed he feared Melvin was reaching for a gun. However, Melvin was shot in the back while running away. Video frame by frame shows the man running and posing no threat. 39 seconds into the footage he can be seen running full speed. You then see instantly he is shot in the back. He immediately falls to the ground, one hand up, then he stretches out flat on the ground.

Four deputies then stand over him with guns drawn shouting and cursing at him to keep his hands up! At least 2 to 3 minutes pass before he is rendered any sort of aid. Even though a pulse was found by one of the deputies the other one opposed doing so.

Black Caucus of the Green Party 
www.gp.org/caucuses#black

For Immediate Release
August, 25, 2020

CONTACT:
Robin D. Harris, Darryl! Moch, [email protected]
Co-Chairs, National Black Caucus, Green Party of the United States

The murderous Cop has been identified as James Montiel. Montiel’s body cam was not on. The video footage captured was from another deputy’s camera. Since the deadly shooting Montiel is on administrative leave with pay.

KENOSHA, Wi –  Jacob Blake, a black man, was shot in the back 7 times by Police officers in Kenosha, Wisconsin late Sunday evening on August 23, 2020. Video was captured and shared to social media. It shows 2 officers following him with guns drawn as he walks away to get inside of his car. As he tries to get inside one of the officer’s grabs him by the shirt and unloads at least 7 shots into his body. This all takes place while children are in the vehicle. Police were called to the address due to a domestic disturbance. Witnesses say that Mr. Blake was endeavoring to break that fight up upon the policemen’s arrival.

The National Black Caucus of the Green Party of the United States stands in Solidarity with the victims, their families/friends, and Protesters who are fighting for answers and the immediate firing of officers in both shootings. We find both incidents to be in complete disregard for black lives and black communities.

We therefore demand the immediate termination of those officers who failed to Protect and Serve their citizens. Both incidents have perpetuated trauma and despair in the Black Community. We also demand the immediate withdrawal of all domestic military occupation. We stand by efforts to defund and or abolish policing systems that no longer protect. We support every effort of self determination in marginalized communities that gives them the power to define the role of the police so that Law Enforcement no longer functions as an agency that continues to commit genocidal behavior.