Our community was paralyzed again this week with the police involved shooting death of another African American man.

This time the young man was returning home from his job as a postal worker when he met his fate at the hands of Inglewood law enforcement during the early morning of Tuesday, July 22.

Immediately, residents, citizens and community

leaders became enraged at the killing of 38-year-old Kevin Wicks, who had just made it home from his shift with the United States Postal Service.

The Rev. Cecil L. “Chip” Murray knew the family of the slain man and pleaded for justice to be served upon the officer who shot Wicks.

It is a scene that is beginning to repeat itself all too often for us to stomach. We are used to the police in our community being our enemy. It is a rare occurrence when they come and protect and serve us. The service that we keep receiving are bullets from the guns pulled from their holsters.

We as tax payers pay their salary and we expect that they would work for us. We don’t pay them to hunt us as their prey.

We have since been told that the same officer that shot Wicks was involved in the shooting several weeks ago of another Black man, who later died as a result of his injuries.

The city of Inglewood is being sued for $25 million in that case, but money does not bring back a loved one.

So, we find ourselves in a familiar situation that appears to keep reoccurring in our community. Are we not beyond Rodney King? It appears to be getting worse. Rodney King lived. Mr. Wicks was not so fortunate. What does his family tell his children that he left behind? How do you explain this? Another senseless tragedy where any explanation will not suffice.

We demand that Wicks death not be in vain, that the officer be brought to trial and convicted. We deserve better than what we are getting in Inglewood and we want a resolution sooner than later.

So, whether you agree or disagree, now more than ever I really need your input.  I need to hear from you. I need to know what is going on in our community. I also need to know what other stories we need to tell, and what  is on your mind. I really do want to hear from you, I want you to “Talk to Danny.”

Sincerely,

Danny J. Bakewell, Jr.
President & Executive Editor
www.lasentinel.net

Published in : Executive Editor Blog, Talk To Danny