Milwaukee, WI – On August 26, the family of Earl Lawhorn joined the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression in a car caravan to demand justice for him and his family. Lawhorn was murdered by Milwaukee police exactly one year before. Cops initiated a high-speed chase with Lawhorn. The chase culminated in a fatal shooting, which the police officers justified by claiming Lawhorn had fired on them. Evidence presented by the district attorney to the family revealed that the firearm in Lawhorn’s possession was broken and unable to fire.

Over the last year, Lawhorn’s family has been trying to piece together that fatal day with the little information that has been released to them about the case. Jacqueline Ratzel, mother of Lawhorn, said that in footage she recently saw that Lawhorn, “had surrendered to the police. The police officer got out of his car and proceeded to shoot my son. They are refusing to tell me the officers’ names.”

The lack of transparency in this case is reflective of Milwaukee authorities’ misleadership and their refusal to hold the police accountable. Chief Jeffrey Norman of MPD refused to speak with Ratzel, and Mayor Cavalier Johnson has refused to draw any attention to the case.

“It’s not the first time we’ve been here in front of the Third District. How many people must this happen to until they are willing to take action?” asked Omar Flores, co-chair of the Milwaukee Alliance.

Given their inability to hold police officers accountable, “we as people,” said Ratzel, “need to come together and stop the police from killing our people.”

As such, the Milwaukee Alliance and Lawhorn’s family are demanding the following for Justice Earl Lawhorn: The release of the full, unedited footage related to the case documenting the car chase, foot pursuit and shootings; the release of the names of the officers who shot Lawhorn; and, that the officers who shot Lawhorn to be charged.

The Milwaukee Alliance stands in full solidarity with Earl Lawhorn’s family. This car caravan is the beginning of their joint efforts to hold these murderous police officers accountable and get justice for Earl Lawhorn!

#MilwaukeeWI #PeoplesStruggles #PoliceBrutality #MilwaukeeAllianceAgainstRacistPoliticalRepression #EarlLawhorn