Family, friends and supporters of police violence victim Keith Childress, Jr. demand justice for his murder. His mother, Jacqueline Lawrence, lives in Phoenix, Arizona, which makes advocating for her son difficult, but she has started to meet other families impacted by police violence.
Family, friends and supporters of police violence victim Keith Childress, Jr. gather outside Excalibur Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip to demand justice for his murder. His mother, Jacqueline Lawrence, center, lives in Phoenix, Arizona, which makes advocating for her son difficult. Las Vegas, Nev., June 5, 2016.
Family, friends and supporters of police violence victim Keith Childress, Jr. protest his killing on the Las Vegas Strip. Rainye Hile, his cousin, holds up a sign that reads, “Unarmed and black,” a fitting message since Childress was killed in broad daylight in a private neighborhood and was “armed” only with a cell phone. Las Vegas, Nev., June 5, 2016.
Families impacted by police violence from all across the nation convene at Wayne State University for the 1st Annual Families United 4 Justice National Network Gathering. Jacqueline Lawrence and her partner, Kenneth Bryant, are on the far left representing Keith Childress, Jr. This was the first time they met other families impacted by police violence where they were able to bond and share their experiences. The event was so impactful for Jacqueline that she is now supporting in the planning of the next gathering set for June. Detroit, Mich., June 15, 2017.
Keilani Childress, the youngest daughter of Keith Childress, Jr., in the private driveway where her father was shot to death. Keilani was born six months after Childress’ police homicide. Las Vegas, Nev., December 31, 2017.
Jacqueline Lawrence helps Keilani Childress arrange the flowers and decorations for the second year anniversary of Keith Childress, Jr.’s death. Las Vegas, Nev., December 31, 2017.
The family of Keith Childress, Jr., at the site where he was killed, the driveway of a private home by Desert Inn Road and Cimarron Road. From left to right: Kenneth Bryant, partner of Jacqueline Lawrence, Jacqueline Lawrence, mother of Keith Childress, Jr., Peyton Steagall, niece of Keith Childress, Jr., Makaila Steagall, niece of Keith Childress, Jr., Keilani Childress, daughter of Keith Childress, Jr., and Marisa Steagall, niece of Keith Childress, Jr. Families impacted by police violence often hold vigils where their loved ones were killed, as it often provides some sense of closure and connection. Las Vegas, Nev., December 31, 2017.
Kenneth Bryant helps the daughter of Keith Childress, Jr. Keilani Childress light candles in Childress’ name at the site where he was killed. The family asked the owners of the private home if they could be permitted to hold a vigil there. The house still has bullet holes on the outside walls from the shooting. The entire garage door had to be replaced and some parked cars also endured damage. Las Vegas, Nev., December 31, 2017.
At a rally to reclaim the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., held at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. statue at Martin Luther King Boulevard and Carey Avenue in North Las Vegas, Mikaila Steagall, niece of Keith Childress, Jr., performs a poem she wrote about her uncle and his police homicide. “We will not stop until we get justice,” she concludes. Other family members stand by her side. From left to right: Trinita Farmer, mother of police homicide victim, Tashii Brown, killed on May 14, 2017, Petra Wilson, widow of police homicide victim, Rex Wilson, killed on October 12, 2016, and to the right of Mikaila, Jacqueline Lawrence, mother of police homicide victim Keith Childress, Jr., killed on December 31, 2015. North Las Vegas, Nev., January 20, 2018.
On December 31, 2015, Keith Childress, Jr., 23, father of three, was visiting Las Vegas for the New Year’s holiday. He was walking in a private neighborhood when he was shot five times in broad daylight by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police. Police were acting on a sham call from U.S. Marshals that Childress was an armed and dangerous fugitive wanted for attempted murder. Off of this false information, the police pursued Childress and apprehended him. While Childress did have an open court case, he was neither armed and dangerous nor wanted for attempted murder. Within seconds of making contact, Childress was shot several times. The police claim they thought he was armed, but Childress only had his cell phone in his hand. After police shot him, the K-9 unit released dogs onto Childress, tearing up his backside. The surrounding area where the police shot Childress was badly damaged. The garage door of the driveway where Childress fell needed to be replaced and several parked cars endured collateral damage. To this day, bullet holes can be seen on the side of the house. While no criminal charges were filed, the mother of Childress, Jacqueline Lawrence, has filed a civil lawsuit against the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police for his wrongful death.
Nissa Tzun Bio: Nissa D. Tzun is a media artist, educator, community organizer, and the co-founder of the Forced Trajectory Project, an award-winning, media, public relations and advocacy organization illuminating the narratives of families impacted by police murder, established in 2009. In 2014 she assisted in forming Families United 4 Justice, a nationwide collective of families impacted by police murder, organizing for collective power. Currently, Nissa works as a media consultant for the Mass Liberation Project, a decarceration project focused on ending mass incarceration in Nevada and beyond, as a podcast producer for the Hank Greenspun School of Journalism & Media Studies at UNLV, a communications fellow for Community Change and is pursuing her Master’s in Social Work and Master's in Journalism & Media Studies. She is a three-time Davis Putter Scholar and was recognized as the Jesse Lloyd O'Connor Scholar for the academic year of 2019-2020.
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