Fifteen-year-old Jordan Edwards’ life was cut drastically short after a Balch Springs, Texas police officer fatally shot him in the head on Saturday night (April 29) as he was leaving a party, sparking outrage across the country. Officer Roy Oliver, who has since been fired from the force, alleged he stopped the car Edwards was riding in because it was reversing down a street in an “aggressive manner,” according to The New York Times.
Police Chief Jonathan Haber, however, held a news conference on Monday (May 1) where he refuted the initial claims and admitted that video footage shows the car was, in fact, moving forward as the officers approached. Edwards’ family lawyer, Lee Merritt, called this admission a “big deal.”
“There were no weapons involved; there was no aggressive behavior; these were not suspects,” Mr. Merritt said. “The lone motive they had for the murder was that the vehicle was being used as a weapon, and now that is no longer there.”
Edwards, who was a high school freshman at Mesquite High School in Mesquite, Texas, held a 3.5 GPA, was a popular football player and had aspirations of playing college football. His death can now be added to the ever-evolving list of black men who were killed at the hands of white police officers, tragedies that continue to deepen the divisiveness across the United States.
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Countless people have taken to social media to express their feelings on the matter, including T.I., Lecrae, Big Boi, Dee Barnes, Jussie Smollett, Shaun King, and the Edwards’ lawyer, Mr. Merritt. The investigation is ongoing. Officer Oliver is reportedly appealing his termination.
Check out the reactions to Jordan Edwards’ death below.
