The hashtag #justiceforjustin is trending on X (formerly Twitter) after D.C. police shot and killed Justin Robinson.
Justin Robinson is reportedly a member of a D.C. violence interruption program. In the body-camera footage, Robinson was wearing a jacket associated with his Cure the Streets job.
According to police, Robinson allegedly tried to grab an officer’s gun, prompting two officers to fire. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Details of the incident
Police Chief Pamela Smith reported that officers responded to a car crash around 5:30 a.m. on Marion Barry Avenue, SE.
Upon arrival, they found a vehicle crashed into a McDonald’s with the driver unresponsive. While assessing the situation, officers noticed a gun in the driver’s lap.
As they continued to investigate and called for additional officers, the driver regained consciousness and began moving.
Chief Smith stated that the driver, at one point, picked up the gun, and despite commands to drop it, also reached for an officer’s weapon.
This led to two officers firing their guns, striking Robinson.
The Body-Cam footage has been released and has sparked lots of conversations on social media.
Many are expressing outrage over the death of Justin Robinson, with one person stating, “Another innocent Black man killed by the police. He was only sleeping in his car and wasn’t even given a chance to wake up fully before cops shot him 13 times and killed him.”
Others are questioning the police response. “I just don’t understand why they needed so many officers for someone who was unconscious and not posing a threat to them. This is such a dismal video and I’m praying for the family #justiceforjustin,” another user commented.
A heartfelt message from someone who knew Robinson personally also surfaced, saying, “This is so sad man I remember being your and your brother’s camp counselor at Camp Brown You were such a sweet boy, but that mouth was something else… you will truly be missed, and justice will be served.”
