Attorney Benjamin Crump and the family of Stephon Clark held a press conference to demand justice for the slain 22-year-old, reports NPR.
Clark was gunned down by the Sacramento Police Department in his grandmother’s backyard last Sunday. Footage of the devastating shooting was released a few days later.
Crump spoke poignantly about the Clark case, comparing his treatment to that of Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz and Austin bomber Mark Anthony Conditt.
Stephon Clark family attorney Ben Crump:
Florida shooting suspect "was not shot once. But a young black man holding a cellphone is shot 20 times. Young man who was bombing homes in Austin … He wasn't shot once. But an unarmed black man holding a cellphone is shot 20 times." pic.twitter.com/IuHVMAJxkj
— NBC News (@NBCNews) March 26, 2018
“[Cruz] was not shot once. But a young black man holding a cellphone is shot 20 times,” he said in a video posted by NBC. “Young man who was bombing homes in Austin, [Texas], the police followed him for hours. He wasn't shot once. But an unarmed black man holding a cellphone is shot 20 times."
Crump, who has represented the families of Mike Brown, Tamir Rice and Trayvon Martin, concluded with a vow to seek justice for Clark.
“We will stand up for Stephon, we will speak up for Stephon … until we get justice," he said.
Clark’s grandmother, Sequita Thompson, was cradled by the attorney as she sobbed and demanded accountability from the Sacramento Police Department.
Stephon Clark's grandmother: "Why didn't you just shoot him in the arm, shoot him in the leg, send a dog, send a taser? Why? … I just want justice for my baby. I want justice for Stephon Clark. Please give us justice." pic.twitter.com/xmV5F2LV9P
— NBC News (@NBCNews) March 26, 2018
“They didn't have to kill him like that. They didn't have to shoot him that many times," she cried. “Why didn't you shoot him in the arm? Shoot him in the leg? Send the dogs? Send the taser? Why? I want justice for my baby. I want justice for Stephon Clark."