Minneapolis, MN – Around 300 people protested outside the Fourth Precinct police building in North Minneapolis, June 24, to speak out against the cops who killed Thurman Blevins the night before.

Thurman Blevins, age 31, was shot nine times in the back as he was running away from taser-wielding police around 6 p.m. on June 23. He leaves behind three daughters. Several relatives spoke at the protest, even though they had attended the funeral of Thurman’s sister earlier in the day.

Protest emcee Nekima Levy-Pounds introduced the family members and speakers from groups that included, NAACP Minneapolis, Native Lives Matter, Communities United Against Police Brutality, and Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar.

Shortly after police murdered Thurman Blevins on June 23, activists, including Jess Sundin, of the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar (TCC4J) rushed to the scene. She wrote that night, “Tonight, I witnessed police disregard for a traumatized community. They detained witnesses, in handcuffs and squad cars. Police tape covered the area for several blocks in every direction, and at one point, a line of at least a dozen police stood, to keep people blocks away from where the killing happened. I'm told Thurman's body is still there, in the alley. It's been seven hours now. This is only some small part of the story. The short version is: Don't believe anything you hear from the media, the politicians or the police. Thurman Blevins was doing nothing wrong when the cowardly cops shot him in the back. My heart is heavy, knowing that tomorrow, his family will bury his sister. And now, they have to begin planning his funeral, and figure out how they will care for his three young children.”

During the day on June 24, dozens of people delayed the Twin Cities Pride parade in downtown Minneapolis and included “Justice for Thurman Blevins!” in the demands.

In the evening of June 24, a vigil will be held in the neighborhood where Blevins’ murder took place.

#MinneapolisMN #AfricanAmerican #PoliceBrutality #Pride #PoliceCrimes #ThurmanBlevins #TwinCitiesCoalitionForJustice4Jamar