Atlanta, GA – On February 24, family and community members gathered for a vigil in memory of Osiris Bennet, a young man murdered by MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) police officers a year before. The vigil, held at the North Avenue MARTA station where the incident occurred, was a reminder of the ongoing struggle for justice and accountability in Atlanta.

Osiris Bennett, 23, was approached by two plainclothes, undercover MARTA officers while walking to the train platform, for allegedly smoking a blunt. During the encounter, cops claim that their tasers failed and that Bennett pulled a gun on them, leading them to shoot him several times in the neck and body.

In a city where marijuana has been decriminalized and possession only amounts to a fine of less than $100, officers shot and killed a young man. The Georgia Bureau of Investigations and the MARTA police department have refused to give the family a copy of the investigation. The names of the officers have not been released, nor has the camera footage from the dozens of cameras surveilling the station. MARTA PD has spent the past year leaving the family in the dark while shielding itself from accountability.

Flying green balloons and laying candles reading, “Long live Osiris,” family and friends gave accounts of their time with Bennett and the need to continue fighting for justice for their loved one. After several testimonies and a moment of prayer, the group passed out flyers to folks in the station, sharing the story and inviting more to join their fight for justice.

The family is demanding the release of the names of the officers involved, release of the camera footage from the station, and justice for Osiris Bennett.

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