(ATLANTA, GA – 7/28/2018) On Saturday, July 28, the Georgia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, The Awad Law Firm and others hosted a town hall in Johns Creek about issues related to the police shooting of Shukri Ali Said and the broader issues of mental illness, implicit bias, and excessive police force.Full Video: What Happened to Shukri Ali Said – A Town Hall
News Coverage: CAIR-Georgia Co-Hosts Town Hall
Said, an American citizen from Somalia who suffered from mental illness, was shot and killed by law enforcement in Johns Creek on April 28th.
The family has been allowed to view dash camera video footage of the shooting and plans to share new details about Shukri’s final moments during the town hall.
Titled, “What Happened to Shukri Ali Said? A Town Hall on Mental Health, Implicit Bias and Law Enforcement,” the event’s sponsors included CAIR-Georgia, The Awad Law Firm, American Muslim Health Professionals (AMHP), and Masjid Jafar.
In a statement, CAIR-Georgia executive director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said:
“Now that we know more details about Shukri’s final moments, we plan to discuss what those details tell us about the dangerous interaction between mental illness, implicit bias and law enforcement. Although Shukri’s family has sought to maintain privacy as they mourned, they now want to work to ensure something like this never happens again in Georgia.”
During the town hall, attorney Ibrahim Awad recounted details about what the family saw in the video of the shooting. The event then shifted to a panel discussion featuring experts on civil rights and mental health.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation allowed the family to view the video but does not plan to publicly release the footage until the Fulton County District Attorney’s office completes its investigation. The family is so far satisfied with the GBI’s efforts to kept the family updated on the status of the investigation.
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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