The son of a Ferguson activist was found hanging from a tree, and she believes it was a result of lynching.
On October 17, Melissa McKinnies found her child, Danye Jones, hanging from a tree. The activist shared graphic images [viewer discretion is advised for the post] of her son to her Facebook page on Tuesday. Jones wore a T-shirt, shorts, and what appeared to be a large white sheet tied around his neck in the now-deleted post.
“This is what I woke up to! They lynched my baby. My first time seeing these photos. If you have a weak stomach don’t look, but this mother wants justice after I get up. I’m sick and losing my mind, but I had to let the world see what they did to my baby!” McKinnies wrote alongside the images of her late son.
His death was ultimately ruled a suicide.
This is #DanyeJones. His mom, Melissa McKinnies, is a #Ferguson Activist.
Danye was found hanging from a tree in his mom’s backyard on 10/17. The police didn’t investigate, but called it a suicide.
But Danye has just bought property to sell & his mother knows this isn’t true. pic.twitter.com/BYkaDehz9X
— Brittany Packnett (@MsPackyetti) October 31, 2018
Jones’ death follows that of other Ferguson activists, including DeAndre Joshua in 2014 and Darren Seals in 2016. Both died as a result of gunshot wounds to the head. Joshua's death was ruled a suicide. Seals was found with six gun wounds in a burning car, and his case has yet to be solved. In 2017, Edward Crawford, famous for tossing a tear gas canister away from protestors following Michael Brown’s death, reportedly died of a self-inflicted gun wound.
"Thank you. It is now not coincidental. There is a murderer targeting activists from #Ferguson. #WeAreNotInvisible #Resist," Missouri Senator Maria Chappelle-Nadal wrote on Twitter.
Thank you. It is now not coincidental. There is a murderer targeting activists from #Ferguson. #WeAreNotInvisible
#Resist
https://t.co/cZV8VniCrO— MariaChappelleNadal (@MariaChappelleN) May 5, 2017
McKinnies became a renowned advocate for Black lives amid the killing of Michael Brown and has participated in numerous protests. She is also a member of activist group Lost Voices. Her son would have turned 25 on November 19.
Updates on the case are still pending.
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