Milwaukee, WI – In July, 2024 the racist and reactionary Republican Party descended on Milwaukee to hold its national convention and select a nominee for president. For years, community organizers had demanded that the city of Milwaukee give guarantees and concrete plans to stop the thousands of out-of-town police that came for the convention from committing crimes in the city with no accountability or oversight. City leaders dismissed these concerns, but on July 16, 2024, five officers from Columbus, Ohio murdered Samuel “Jah” Sharpe Jr.

Sharpe was a Black man living in a homeless encampment with his dog, Ices, in King Park over a mile away from the area where the RNC took place. Police Chief Norman was quick to say that police “saved a life” by murdering Sharpe, but the Sharpe family and community organizers were quick to point out that this was a blatant lie.

One year later on July 18, 2025, the Sharpe family gathered with community members in King Park to celebrate Sharpe’s life and remember the light he brought to the community. Family members, members of the encampment where he lived, and community organizers who knew him before his death all shared memories of a man quick to say, “I love you.” As people came through the celebration for pizza, popsicles and cold drinks, many could feel the warmth and love that Sharpe brought to his community.

The celebration of life is one piece of the Sharpe family’s ongoing fight to remember him and get justice for their loved one. Unfortunately, the Milwaukee district attorney declined to bring charges against any of the five officers who attacked Sharpe, and the family still does not have unredacted footage of that day.

Angelique Sharpe shared that she is still demanding answers from the Milwaukee Police Department about why Columbus police were so far from downtown, as well as a meeting with Chief Norman and the Fire and Police Commission to create policies that would stop out of town law enforcement from murdering Milwaukeeans in the future.

The Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression will be holding a picket outside of the Milwaukee Police Department District 1 on July 30 with the Sharpe family to raise these demands.

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