Police Allegedly Kill a Black Unarmed 15-year-old in Balch Springs, Texas
On Saturday night, April 29, 2017, a police officer in Balch Springs, Texas, allegedly killed a black 15-year-old boy when he fired into a vehicle full of teenagers. Community leaders released the victim’s name; the deceased was Jordan Edwards, who was a freshman attending Mesquite High School.
The Balch Springs Police Department (BSPD) posted a media release on Facebook about the deadly encounter. According to BSPD, there isn’t a lot known about the altercation. Allegedly, the vehicle that was full of teenagers was backing down Baron Drive in an aggressive manner. A police officer shot at the vehicle, and it struck the passenger in the front seat. The person who was struck was transported to a nearby hospital, where he died as a result of his injuries. Investigators have verified that Edwards was a passenger in the car, but early on, they did not release the name of the victim.
The name of the officer who allegedly shot the teen has not been released by police either. An internal investigation is being conducted by Balch Springs, though the lead on the case is being taken by the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department.
In more recent news, Balch Springs Police Chief Jonathan Haber admitted that the vehicle Edwards was in was first in reverse but was then driving away from law enforcement officers going forward, fleeing the scene, when the officer shot into the vehicle with a rifle and struck a teenager in the head.
Social media has been a catalyst for bringing people together in a quest for justice, and justice for the black community in particular, especially with regard to interaction with members of law enforcement. The officer in this case has been placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure and should not be taken to indicate that the officer did anything wrong.
–Guest Contributor
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