Kwamena Ocran is a 24-year-old African American man that was gunned down within 10 minutes of leaving his home. while he was in fact in fear for his life. The Gaithersburg police used their position and power to murder “our baby”. They did not approach him with the intent to investigate, arrest, or inquire about a tip. They approached him with the intent to murder him. Not at anytime were these police officers (not undercover detectives) in uniform, wearing body cameras, or nor did they provide any form of protection or accountability for their actions. They did not set out with the intent to capture him if he were to flee the scene. They set out with intent to assure that if he did flee, they would be successful in capturing him by deadly force. Many young, black, white and brown men are just figuring out their life at this age. They have no clue what their passion or drive is. However, his future and any opportunity to grow from this moment was taken from him. Kwamena leaves behind a grieving family, friends, and a horrifying murder scene that took place in front of children, neighbors, and multiple residents of that neighborhood. The trauma that has been inflicted we cannot claim as ours alone. This was inhumane, this was illegal, this was not policing to keep the community safe, this was not following up on a lead, and this was not justice being served. This is exactly what it looks like, a planned execution of yet ANOTHER young African American male. On January 8, 2021 at approximately 5:53 the Gaithersburg police Department “police officers” that were not in uniform approached a 24-year-old-african-American male about a lead that he was carrying a gun. After approaching Kwamena Ocran they stated that they were the police and without any hesitation he began to run, maybe if they were trained on “fight or flight” they would be aware that this is a normal reaction when you are in danger. The police officers began to chase him down the highway into a nearby neighborhood. Once in the neighborhood he was shot by a police officer four times in his back without any confirmation that he had a gun or was intending on using the gun (neighbors stated that over 25 shots was heard) He was then approached by an additional officer who proceeded to kick his body to turn him onto his back and released fire into Kwamena’s lifeless body. He was not a threat! The report given at the news conference states that the suspect “displayed a gun”, meaning that not at any moment, did he point the gun at any officers. The recording catches the police stating they were the  police and then you hear firing nobody screamed out not one command or anything to reassure him that they were actually the police and he was not in danger before shooting.  They tried to insinuate that he was going to use this weapon on them but how if he was running away from them and not toward them. Neighbors sat back in distress as they listened to the police officers laugh and make jokes over Kwamena’s dead body that was left on the pavement for 7 hours. They witnessed cops asking did they see the gun? Do they know where the gun is? Or if they were able to locate the gun? If you were so sure that this “gun” was such a threat to you, why did you take your eyes off it? How do you not know if there was a gun but walk up to his body and proceed to shoot when he had already been shot in the back four times? Why did two of the police officers leave the scene of the crime? Why did they report that they attempted to provide first aid to the news when the first person that touched his body was the person who used his foot to kick him over and then proceed to shoot him? Kwamena Ocran “Our Baby” and their “tip” was murdered and as they all sit at home on PAID administrative leave with the protection of police policies that prevent them from being held accountable for operating stings when they are not effectively trained nor morally authorized to do so is absurd. The fact that their confidence is built on the longevity of their racially stemmed police department with multiple complaints and reports of abuse and harassment of black and brown people is absurd. The fact that his own mother has not been provided an opportunity to confirm his identity via photographs or any other options they can provide is HEARTLESS. The fact that they have used terminology to grey line the truth and sugar coat their lies is absurd. The fact that they will use his mistakes as a teenager which landed him in jail for 5 years to justify their heinous crimes is absurd. When will we stop excusing the inexcusable and placing fate in the hands of race bating police officers that have built their career off the misfortune of the impoverished and institutionalized? We will not standby and allow them to get away with this! Kwamena deserves justice because justice was not served. There are attorneys, judges, and a whole legal system set in place “IF” a gun was found! This has got to STOP!

Anonymous

Elizabeth Blair

Natalie C Chwalisz

Discover New

Jean-Pierre Seguin

Michael G Mage

Carla Hopkins

Andrea Shepherd

Ayanna Gregory

Rian Adamian

Monica Goldberg

Melissa Gilpin

Alexander R. Banks

Let's get Kwam's headstone installed

Let's get Kwam's headstone installed

Still $5,500 to go. Help us build momentum.