Report on East Flatbush

Memorial for Kimani Gray in East Flatbush. Photo by me.

I've written up a report of last week's events in East Flatbush in the aftermath of the police murder of Kimani "KiKi" Gray.

"Last Saturday night Kimani was in the neighborhood hanging out with friends. At 16, he was learning to navigate some tough turf. There's not an African-American kid his age in Brooklyn who doesn't understand the way things are: staying in school seems pointless, finding work will be hard, being pushed around or thrown up against a wall by cops is the price of leaving your house, and sticking with your friends or even a gang is the way to keep it together.

That night two plainclothes cops decided Kimani looked suspicious. They claim he pulled a gun on them from his waistband as they approached him. Two menacing strangers walking toward a kid who was just out on the street with his friends...."

Read the whole report at Kasama.