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Family, supporters question police killing of Black teen

By Dr. J.A. Salaam | Last updated: Oct 14, 2014 - 6:39:48 PM

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Vonderrit Meyers, Sr. left fl anks State Sen. Jamilah Nasheed and community leaders at press conference. Photo: J.A.Salaam
ST. LOUIS - “Like father like son” read the front of a black sweat shirt worn by a hurt father pained by the loss of his only son. Vonderrit Myers, Sr. and his wife Syreeta marched with over 1,200 protesters and supporters early Monday morning during the recent Weekend of Resistance in St. Louis, Mo., and nearby Ferguson, Mo. convened to protest police brutality and demand an end to the police murder of Black youth.

Days earlier, the couple’s 18-year-old son was shot to death by an off-duty White police officer moonlighting as a private armed security guard while still in his St. Louis Police Dept. uniform. Vonderrit Myers Jr. and friends went to a neighborhood store for a sub sandwich Oct. 8 and the group was approached by the officer, according to police officials. Police Chief Sam Dotson said the officer was suspicious and the Black youth ran. The officer, whose identity remains secret, allegedly chased the young men. Then said Chief Dotson, the group came back together in a gangway and Vonderrit, Jr., in an aggressive manner approached and got into an altercation with the officer, who told the youth he was under arrest. Chief Dotson said the young man got away but turned and fired a gun at the officer. The officer hesitated and returned fire, aiming 17 shots at the teenager, who was struck by multiple bullets and died.

The young man’s family insists that the son, who was facing a gun charge at the time, was unarmed. They don’t believe he confronted the officer, nor do they believe the officer was right in confronting their son. The father and mother say their son was well loved, regularly visited the corner store and was friends with the owner.

They plan to fight for justice for their son. “He was outstanding people, everybody loved my son, my son loved those sandwiches,” said Vonderrit Meyers, Sr.

During the march Oct. 13 the parents and other family members were escorted to the front of the line by protestors who expressed their condolences and support for the family.

The protestors held a 2 a.m. sit-in at St. Louis University and offered hugs and a moment of silence for the slain youth. Their chants demanded justice for his death and uplifted the father. He thanked the crowd and protest organizers for their support before leaving with his wife and family.

“My son was loved,” he said. That so many of you stand with us, it shows my son is still loved, he added.

Some community leaders, politicians and activists are also standing with the family. They held a press conference the day after the shooting. Angry protestors had taken to streets the night of the shooting and were unmoved by Chief Dotson’s version of events.

“The question that I have is: Why did (the officer) pursue them? Were there any 9/11 calls? Were they just standing on the street? If that’s the case, is that a crime? Is it a crime to just be standing out talking amongst yourselves? So those are some of the questions that many of the people in the community want answered,” said State Senator Jamilah Nasheed at the press conference outside of police headquarters.

“Did he do anything wrong? Why did they pursue him? Why did they even come up to those young men and stop them? For what reason? Again, many of the community members believe that it was racial profiling and that’s something that we have to begin to look at too, the whole issue of racial profiling,” she said with the father by her side.

“I will be calling on the Justice Department to work alongside and asking that the governor put together a blue ribbon commission” to investigate this shooting, Ms.  Nasheed added.

“I’m not happy that the police chief would come out and make statements that was given to him by his officers, such as this man turned and shot at him three times and there was a weapon found and shells from another gun. The police are trying to protect themselves. There’s a culture of cover-up in the police department,” said Abdul Akbar Muhammad, a Nation of Islam official and St. Louis-area resident.

Police departments are known for racism, he said. “They have to look in the mirror every day and ask, ‘Am I a racist? Do I hate Black people? Do I go out every day and look for a young Black man that I can shoot down?’ They have to look in the mirror and ask that question because it’s happening all over America,” said Mr. Muhammad.

Atty. Jerryl Christmas, a former prosecutor, observed that police officers are known for carrying more than one weapon. That extra weapon can be used as a throwaway when officers are involved in an unjustified shooting, he said.

There are also questions about exactly what the officer was doing and one resident told The Final Call the officer was three blocks away from his assigned area. Under a somewhat controversial arrangement, well to do communities are able to pay for additional police protection by hiring uniformed off duty police officers. Some have objected to the practice and use of tax dollars and neighborhood association fees to pay for such protection, which critics say poor areas need but cannot afford.

The resident, who shared her first name only, told The Final Call, “I’ve lived here over six years … . We live on Flora and we pay extra to have security there. I don’t know what he was doing way over here,” said Kim, who is a Flora Place homeowner. Homes on the exclusive street are very expensive and home owners pay for protection of their homes and their single street. The shooting took place at Kleem Avenue and Shaw Blvd., about three blocks north of Flora Place.

Chief Dotson said the officer was working for Hi-Tech Security. But the company was sold several years ago amid controversy over officers chasing and pulling guns on a man and his son, who ran from officers and  who were not in police vehicles. Hi-Tech was also sued for other alleged violations and questions were raised about whether officers worked for the company while still on duty. Andrew Himeless filed a 2011 lawsuit charging he suffered brain injuries at the hands of off-duty St. Louis police sergeant Robert Ogilvie who was working for Hi-Tech Security, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Hi-Tech’s then-owner’s license was eventually suspended and the company was sold. 

According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the former operations manager for Hi-Tech purchased the company in 2012 and the name was changed to GCI Security. The Post-Dispatch reported Oct. 10 that the company owner is Gary L. Cole. Final Call telephone calls for more information and attempts to question company officials were unsuccessful. The woman who answered the phone for GCI Security declined to provide the owner’s name and directed a reporter to call back. Calls from The Final Call were not returned.