Madison OIS in my Neighborhood

Tony Robinson, 19 years old

I'm sick about it.

I lay in bed last night scrolling through the scant news stories appearing on my Facebook feed that my neighborhood friends were posting. Shots were fired on the 1100 block of Williamson. I live on the 1100 block of Jenifer, a block away.

Then more news started appearing. A 19 year old black man shot five times in the chest by a Madison Police officer. Then a protest began demanding answers.

This morning, it is all over my feed. The sickening hashtag that has been created? That makes this all very real and way too close to home?

#fergusontomadison


I am trying to patiently wait for a response from the MPD. Some indication that the use of fatal force was necessary. But I start to imagine what it would be like if I had been an individual causing a ruckus by jumping in and out of traffic on a Friday night in my neighborhood. If the police came, I'm assuming they would gently question my actions. If I started getting in their face, to the point that they felt threatened, I presume they would incapacitate me by shooting me in the foot, the arm. If I had a weapon, which Tony Robinson did not have by many accounts, and was aiming it at an officer, I presume he would shoot me once, maybe twice. Not to kill me, but to disarm me. To then arrest me. Then I would await trial.

Tony was shot in the chest five times. He died last night. And from what I've read this morning, another horrifying story is that his mother asked to hold him in the hospital one last time and was denied - he was "evidence."

I cannot make sense of this. I am heartbroken. Police, I trust you with my life. I appreciate the work you do. I respect you. But our nation, our town has some questions for you. Why is there an unprecedented use of fatal force on black individuals, far and above any kind of regulatory statistics that one can dream up? We need answers.

Rest in peace, neighbor.