The American Human Rights Council (AHRC-USA) joins fellow Americans in expressing grief and sadness regarding the shooting of Sylville K. Smith on August 13, 2016. This killing, following other killings in police-African American citizen encounters, raises the issue of the usage of deadly force by the police.
AHRC-USA reminds all that there are hundreds of thousands of law enforcement officers in the nation and countless encounters between citizens and law enforcement every day. These unfortunate incidents are not representative of the overwhelming majority of citizen-police encounters. However, even the loss of one innocent life is one loss too much and the tensions between police and minority communities are too real.
AHRC-USA reiterates its solidarity with the Black Lives Matter Movement. We also understand the frustrations that many feel and joins in the struggle for fairness and justice for all.
AHRC -USA calls for a thorough investigation of the shooting and reiterates its position that violence is never the answer.
“We are saddened by the death of Mr. Smith. The most precious human right is the right to life,” said Imad Hamad, AHRC Executive Director. “We urge everyone to communicate and dialogue and build trust and spare no effort to create a better future for us all,” said Hamad