Arlington, TX – On August 10, Mothers Against Police Brutality held a vigil for Christian Taylor outside the police department here. About 100 people attended.

Christian Taylor, a 19-year-old Black man who was scheduled to start college next fall, was shot August 7 by an Arlington police officer. Mr. Taylor was allegedly damaging cars in a car dealership when police arrived. After Mr. Taylor attempted to flee the car lot, police shot him first with a taser and then with four bullets.

Speakers included John Fullenwider, president of the Dallas Peace Center, and Collette Flanagan, president of Mothers Against Police Brutality.

Fullenwider pointed out that while vandalism is a criminal offense, it is not punishable by death. Collette Flanagan spoke about the mistakes that young people make and the price they should and should not have to pay.

Speakers also called to mind other police killings in the North Texas area, going back to Santos Rodriguez, the 12-year-old boy shot and killed by Dallas police in a game of Russian roulette in 1973.

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