Jamar Clark’s family still fighting for justice 10 years later
Jamar Clark’s family still wants justice
A decade after the death of Jamar Clark in Minneapolis, his family says they are still fighting for justice. FOX 9’s Maury Glover spoke with them and has the story.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Eddie Sutton says the ripple effects of his brother's death are still being felt today.
A loving person
Local perspective:
Jamar Clark has been gone for 10 years, but not a day goes by where Eddie Sutton doesn't think about his little brother.
"It's been, as you may imagine, a rollercoaster of dealing with the tragedy itself, the initial shock of it, and trying to get the family back together," Sutton told FOX 9.
'I just want to continue the fight'
The backstory:
On Nov. 15, 2015, Clark was shot and killed during a struggle with two Minneapolis police officers, who told investigators Clark grabbed one of their guns.
Neither one was charged, but the city ultimately approved a $200,000 settlement with Clark's family.
The shooting also prompted protests, including an occupation outside the city's 4th precinct that lasted 18 days.
"It was numbing, and it's still to this day. I can't tell you how. It's my baby brother, so it's just surreal," said Sutton.
Some activists say Clark's death was a turning point in the fight for police accountability and racial justice, an effort that eventually led to the unrest following the murder of George Floyd five years later.
But Sutton believes his brother's legacy is his family's mission to change the system in a peacful way.
"We don't always have to tear things up. We can do it peacefully, and we want to continue doing it that way. That's his legacy and that's how we're going to go about things," said Sutton.
‘A lot more to do'
What's next:
On Saturday, Clark's family will unveil a memorial bench at the exact spot where he was shot to honor his life and spirit.
But Sutton says continuing the work he does through the foundation he started, Brothers For Justice, is the way he will keep his brother's memory alive.
"I don't want this to happen again to nobody else what has been done to us. If I can prevent it, I gotta do my part, and that's what my brother would want," said Sutton.