From The Trussville Tribune staff reports
MONTGOMERY – In response to the news that there will be no prosecution of the Hoover officer who shot and killed Emantic “E.J.” Bradford, a statement has been released from the ACLU of Alabama.
The statement was crafted by Dillon Nettles, a policy analyst for the ACLU of Alabama.
According to the statement, “The Attorney General’s characterization of E.J. Bradford as a ‘threat’ that needed ‘eliminating’ reveals how little regard the Attorney General has for the life of this black man. Regardless of what the Attorney General of Alabama said in his report, E.J. Bradford’s life mattered. Black lives matter. We won’t stay quiet while law enforcement continues to inflict lethal violence against Black people and attempt to justify it.
“Police officers need to be held accountable when they shoot and kill innocent people. The deaths of people like Bradford are a constant reminder of the threat people of color face in a country where Black men are three times more likely to be killed by police than white men.”
Nettles’ statement also singles out the President and the NRA for criticism.
“Meanwhile, the NRA and President Trump continue to make the claim that a ‘good guy with a gun’ can stop active shooter situations, but they have offered no such praise for Bradford,” the statement said. “Their silence is another way to hide and sanction racialized violence against black people. We demand they either respond to the Attorney General’s decision or acknowledge that their claims do not apply to Black people with a gun.”
Nettles did not promise any immediate action in light of the news, but implied that some would be taking place.
“We are reviewing the report and will determine appropriate next steps,” Nettles said.