ATLANTA – State Representative Karen Bennett (D-Stone Mountain), chair of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus (GLBC), today issued the following statement in response to the recent death of Mr. Rayshard Brooks, who died as a result of multiple gunshot wounds inflicted by an Atlanta police officer:
“Once again, a family must grieve due to the actions of law enforcement. We pray for those who loved Mr. Rayshard Brooks, especially his daughter whose birthday now falls around the time her father died.
“It is for this reason we continue to shout, ‘Black Lives Matter.’ The police and armed vigilantes continue to act as if our lives have no value. We are sick and tired of having the need to console mothers, fathers, spouses and children of slain black men and women due to racial injustice and police brutality.
“It is time for Georgia and the nation to confront the racial terrorism caused by racism corroding our country. We must establish federal, state and local statutes to improve law enforcement practices, increase accountability and provide additional training to deescalate tense police to black citizen encounters.
“We support passing House Bill 426, hate crimes legislation, as well as the criminal reform legislative package brought forth by the Georgia House Democratic Caucus. The people demand action, and we in the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus promise to do everything within our power to end this cycle of violence. We owe it to Mr. Ahmaud Arbery, Mr. Brooks and countless others whose lives ended too soon at the hands of the criminalization of being black.”
Established in 1975, the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus is a 501(c)3 non-profit, nonpartisan organization comprised of 65 Georgia House and Senate members.
For more information about the GLBC, please click here.
Representative Karen Bennett represents the citizens of Districts 94, which includes portions of DeKalb and Gwinnett counties. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2012 and currently serves on the Code Revision, Economic Development & Tourism, Health & Human Services and Regulated Industries committees.
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