Justice for Steven Taylor: A Mental Health Crisis Should Not Be a Death Sentence
(San Leandro, California) - On Saturday, April 18, 2020, Steven Taylor was shot and killed unnecessarily by a San Leandro Police Department Officer. On this Saturday, April 25th - one week after his brutal murder - at 2:30pm, the Anti Police-Terror Project will convene a car caravan to demand justice for him and his family.
Up to 50% of the people killed by law enforcement are in the middle of a mental health crisis. Law enforcement agencies are not equipped to handle these calls, they don’t have adequate training and many of them don’t want the job. These result in unnecessary deaths, trauma and pain. And those that are killed disproportionately Black.
“We are past the time for a shift in how we respond to mental health crises,’ said James Burch of APTP. “That’s why APTP Sacramento launched MH First to create a community-led response to mental health that responds with compassion and care, not a badge and a gun.”
For the last six years, APTP has been on the Bay Area frontlines in responding to state violence. In the time of COVID-19, organizers have had to shift strategies and tactics. To that end, we will do everything to keep people safe, using social distancing and keeping people in their cars.
We are asking folks to respect the following:
This will be a car caravan to avoid transmission of COVID-19 among participants and the public. We apologize to those who are denied access because of this, and we are looking for ways to make our actions more inclusive during this time.
We ask everyone to bring masks. We ask folks who want to have their windows down to wear their masks.
We ask everyone to only ride with folks with whom they are sheltering in place.
We ask everyone to stay in their cars.
We ask everyone to follow the lead of identified security
What: Car Caravan to Demand Justice for Steven Taylor
When: Saturday, April 25th at 2:30 pm
Who: Anti Police-Terror Project, Community Ready Corps, Justice Teams Network, Urban Peace Movement, Black Housing Union, and ACCE
Starting Location: 24 Hour Fitness, 304 Bayfair Mall, San Leandro
“There is no other word to describe what happened to Steven Taylor than murder,” said Cat Brooks of the Anti Police-Terror Project. “Police should have cleared the Walmart and used time and distance to deescalate. What’s more, this was a clear violation of state law that limits when LEAs can use deadly force. We are interested in how San Leandro PD has rewritten their Use of Force policy to accommodate the law or if they have done this work at all.”