On June 14, 2022, Mayor Tishaura O. Jones signed an executive order banning the use of no-knock warrants in St. Louis City. This important win comes after years of organizing by local families, namely the families of Don Clark, Sr., and Isaiah Hammett, who were both killed in no-knock raids on February 21, 2017, and June 7, 2017, respectively.
Mayor Jones’ executive order banning no-knock warrants in St. Louis City is a significant step in the right direction; however, the fight does not end here. We, the families of the Fatal State Violence (“FSV”) Response Program, will continue organizing to ensure a complete end to no-knock raids, quick-knock raids, and other forms of militarized policing, both in St. Louis City and the greater St. Louis region.
Ending no-knock raids alone will not stop fatal state violence in St. Louis, as police have killed at least 22 people in St. Louis since the FSV Response Program began its advocacy work in November 2021. Many of those deaths were the result of police chases. We are calling on local elected officials to meet our full list of demands, which we publicly named during our press conference last Tuesday, May 24, 2022, at City Hall. Our demands are as follows:
- A full, unequivocal ban on the use of no-knock raids, “quick knock” raids, and other forms of militarized policing on St. Louis residents.
- A full, unequivocal ban on the police use of vehicular chases, which endanger not only the person being chased but the officers doing the chasing and bystanders.
- Truly independent investigations of killings by police, with real consequences and accountability.
- Increased transparency for surviving families on the circumstance of our loved ones’ death.
- Reparations for families who have lost loved ones to police violence.
We invite you to join the fight by signing our petition and joining our monthly FSV Meetings every third Friday at 7 PM at 1000 North Vandeventer Ave, St. Louis, MO 63113.
Don R. Clark, Jr., son of Don R. Clark, Sr., killed by SLMPD in 2017
Sherrie Clark-Torrence, daughter of Don R. Clark, Sr., killed by SLMPD in 2017
Gina Torres, mother of Isaiah Hammett, killed by SLMPD in 2017
Stella Ashcraft, aunt of LaVonda Kimble, died at City Justice Center in 2007
Toni Taylor, mother of Cary T. Ball, Jr., killed by SLMPD in 2013
Carlos Ball, brother Cary T. Ball, Jr., killed by SLMPD in 2013
Marlene Gebhard, grandmother of Tyler Gebhard, killed by St. Louis County PD in 2016
Janice Washington, sister of Louis “Lyen” Payton, died at Medium Security Institution in 2018
Larry Graves, father of Julius Graves, killed by SLMPD in 2019
Tammy Bufford, mother of Cortez Bufford, killed by SLMPD in 2019
Kiya Williams, sister of Walter Williams III, died at City Justice Center in 2020
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Photos by Chuck Ramsay. For more photos from the event visit: https://www.chuckramsay.com/
| The Fatal State Violence (FSV) Response Program is a strategic initiative anchored by ArchCity Defenders and Faith for Justice focused on supporting surviving families of those killed by police and/or who died in state custody. The FSV Response Program provides healing spaces and support to impacted families, responds to incidents of fatal state violence through a team of crisis and hotline responders, and advocates for policy change. For more information, please visit: www.archcitydefenders.org/fatalstateviolence and follow #fatalstateviolence on social media. |