Salt Lake City, UT – The recent wave of police brutality has made headlines in Ferguson, Missouri and here in Salt Lake City, where police confronted Dillon Taylor Aug. 11, outside of a 7-Eleven store and killed him. Thus far, police authorities have worked to cover up the shootings.

30 people rallied in Salt Lake City to call for an end to the police terror and to demand justice for the victims of police shootings. Protesters carrying signs and chanted “No justice, no peace, no killer police!” Many of protesters on the scene have been directly affected by the tragedy of police shootings.

Scott Simons, father of Kelly Simons, wants to “raise the awareness of the public about a deadly situation.” Kelly Simons was shot and killed in January 2013 while in her vehicle. Since then Scott Simons has received zero information pertaining to his daughter’s case. “When bad police get away with shootings, you wonder what good police there are,” said Simons.

Marlee Kanosh drove three hours from Cedar City to support the Taylor family because her own brother Corey was killed by police two years ago. “People came to support my family so I'm here to support theirs.” Kanosh has seen no accountability for her brother's murder and has instead got the runaround from authorities.

Aaron Swanenberg arrived after the funeral of his friend Dillon Taylor. “We're out here because we deserve answers as a people.” As with Ferguson, Missouri, police are currently keeping the investigation out of public view and away from accountability. The name of the officer who pulled the trigger has been withheld, ‘for the officer's safety.’ Swanenberg went on to say, “These shootings need to stop. It's not just here, it's not just Justice for Dillon. It's for Danielle Willard. It's for Mike Brown. It's for all these shootings that're going across the nation.” As questions surrounding the investigation into Taylor's shooting begin to pile up, Swanenberg declared, “We need to stand as a people, as one, and show that we're gonna fight back and not allow it.”

Revolutionary Students Union activists Sarah Simmons and Ian Decker were at the rally. Simmons states she came out “to fight for justice for Dillon Taylor, and Mike Brown, and all other unarmed victims of police brutality.” Simmons said that these shootings unveil a lot of institutionalized racism. Decker said it is important “to stand with victims of police brutality and stand against national oppression of all kind, both within the borders of the U.S. and abroad.”

Organizers have planned another rally for Aug. 20, 7:00 pm, at the Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building.

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