Deputies from the Broward Sheriff’s office in Pompano Beach, FL, responded to a domestic disturbance involving 56-year-old Gregory Frazier. Frazier’s sister called 911 due to an argument with her daughter and reported that Frazier was carrying a small pocket knife.
By the time police arrived the argument was over, and police found Frazier eating chicken wings and fries in his backyard. Here is what occurred next according to the Broward New Times:
“When officers arrived, the argument was over, and Frazier was sitting outside in his backyard eating chicken wings and fries. Quartaze Woodard, Frazier’s nephew, who was at the scene, says three deputies showed up and told Frazier to get down on the ground. Frazier responded, “Leave me alone.” The deputies repeated the order. Again, Frazier asked them to leave him alone. After that, Woodard says, the officers shot him. Then, after handcuffing him, and removing the handcuffs once they realized he was non-responsive, they attempted to perform CPR. It was too late.” “I never would have called the cops if I’d known this was going to happen,” Deborah Frazier says. “They just came in and started shooting right away.”
If Dylann Roof can be taken alive by police after shooting 9 people with a gun, then Gregory Frazier should be alive for holding a small pocket knife. Incidents like these that repeat over and over against minorities, is exactly why athletes are kneeling during the national anthem. Kaepernick and others are speaking for vulnerable people like Frazier that don’t have a voice that is loud enough for people to hear. So as more athletes continue to kneel in opposition of police brutality, maybe more Americans will be compelled to finally listen.
Flip The Page to See Frazier’s Backyard.