Fashion Week Flash: Tracy Reese Fall 2012 (PHOTOS)
54 Ways to Say "I Love You" In Africa
By now, you've heard about the shooting death of 7-year-old Aiyana Jones, a little girl in Detroit who had the misfortune of being too close to a police raid occurring in her home. Aiyana was hit by a stray bullet in the head and neck area, and there are conflicting accounts of how the bullet came to strike her.
In the Detroit Free Press, sources from the police department have shared their account of what happened the night that Aiyana was killed. According to the reports, there was the flash and boom, and then dogs started barking. After hearing a gunshot, Detroit Police officer Joseph Weekley walked back to the front porch to speak to his sergeant.According to the source, Weekley told his sergeant that a woman grabbed his gun, it discharged and that the bullet hit the child.
This version of events is in dispute, as Attorney Geoffrey Fieger has filed suits in both state and federal court on behalf of the family. Fieger and the family allege that the bullets were fired from outside the home and that the police are engaged in a cover-up. His greatest source of evidence is footage obtained from an A&E camera crew that was with the team on the night of the raid.
The Detroit Free Press does a thorough job of detailing the events that occurred that night. One thing we know for sure is that police departments across the nation are going to think twice before allowing television cameras to follow them on sensitive police raids. I have some questions about the killing of Aiyana Jones that still need to be answered:
1) Where was Mayor Dave Bing in all this? I was surprised that he was not one of the first to issue a public statement. He has been shockingly silent, at least up until yesterday. Bing recently emerged from wherever he was hiding to start making statements to his community. I was glad to see him step into the picture.
2) Why are police using flash-bang grenades with children in the house? Do we not consider the fact that a 7-year-old is going to be permanently traumatized by something like that?
3) Did the police have to break down the door? Why not stand outside and tell the suspect to come out peacefully? Does that tactic only work in the movies? Please educate me.
4) If the gun was a Detroit Police firearm, then wouldn't the Detroit Police Department always have some liability if the firearm accidentally discharges? I hardly expect that it matters that the child is related to the person they are accusing of scuffling with the officers. I would presume that they expect this kind of thing to happen and know how to keep their guns from accidentally going off. If the grandmother were to grab the gun and deliberately fire it, then that would be another issue.
I expect that when it comes to understanding how Aiyana Jones died, there's going to be a great deal more to talk about. This case is far from over.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and the author of the new book, "Black American Money." To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here. 
Comments: (15)
Add a comment
By: Doug on 5/19/2010 8:14PM
It's the same old story, the cover up is worst than the action. Not saying this little girls death is justified, but cops everywhere, I hate to say everywhere, but it seems when ever a Black person is killed by the police, they go to great lenghts to place the blame on the victims. What Black person in his right mind would grab a cops gun after a grenade was tossed thru their window? Especally a Grandmother who is sleeping with their Grandchild. Do the police really think this will fly? God I hope Detroit don't blow this one. I think the Mayor and the top elected officals should do the right thing by this family who lost that little angel.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: J. Stevens on 5/20/2010 8:04AM
Have the KKK changed thier colors from white to blue?
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: Princesslauryn on 5/20/2010 11:38AM
Yes they have! And it was done quite some time ago. You see it played out in our inner cities daily. RIP Little Angel... ^j^
Report This
By: Jeannette on 5/20/2010 12:19PM
I would like to hear what their policy is on using those flash bombs. I would hope that the city hires reasonably educated people to train for policemen. I understand that they were looking for a murder"SUSPECT", but where was the common sense?
You come to the home where toys are strewn about the yard,toys that were age appropriate for small kids, their first thought shoud have been, there is a strong possibility that there are children here; and throwing this bomb through the window, not knowing where the children may be in the house is not a risk that I should not take. They knew that their suspect was not a small child nor an older female, so why throw the bomb in the window?
I just hope that the defense attorney gets to look at that film before it is edited. They police department needs to man up and accept their responsibility in this matter. I would hate to be the Risk Manager in this sentinel event.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: bob on 5/22/2010 12:39PM
Yes the city hires peole that are trained to deal with criminals,unlike you and Boyce. Toys in the yard with a possible child in the house with a possible murderer in the house? Yes flash granades are approprate! You people acutally think the police went over the the bed and shot the little girl? Or is it just a little bit possible that that if that there was a struggle? KKK and the cops give me a break! How do you know the cops were white?
Report This
By: No1'sname on 5/20/2010 7:55PM
Smmfh I hoe the Detroit police department suffers for their cover-up as much as this family is suffering. Like the grand-mother said tell the truth, just tell the truth. Blacks need to come together or so many innocent lives will be taken away, enough is enough. Now they are killing our kids!
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: No1'sname on 5/20/2010 7:56PM
correction I hope
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: bigchris5050 on 5/20/2010 11:45PM
It's sad that the police would try to cover up a death,especially that 7 year old little girl's life.My heart and prayers goes out to the victims family.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: bob on 5/22/2010 10:38AM
after reading all the comments present and past from black voices,I believe the police should just leave black people to defend themselves. If the crime happens in a black hood dont even investigate, let them go! How can Boyce blame cops when it was black on black crime to begin with. The grandmother was harboring a killer with a little girl in the house! Blame the grown up black people not cops you idiots.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: Candirenee on 5/24/2010 2:28PM
Sounds like the only idiots are the cops who came in a house and shot a sleeping child. How does the family get blamed for this child being dead? Not only was the child shot and killed, but now the police are covering this up. The only good thing out of this story is that there were cameras there.
Report This