The Ohio Student Association (OSA) continues to have protests and meetings in the Wright State and Beavercreek areas in response to the shooting of John Crawford III.
Crawford, a 22-year-old black man, was holding a toy airsoft rifle he picked up from a shelf in a local Wal-Mart when he was shot and killed by the police in response to a 911 phone call stating a man was waving a gun and pointing it at customers in the store, on Aug. 5. Police said they shot Crawford because "he ignored commands to drop the rifle," according to the Dayton Daily News.
The incident, like the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., has been viewed by many as a case of injustice and police violence due to racial profiling and has spurred outcry to indict the police officers involved in the shooting.
The OSA is a statewide organization that brings young people together to build local and statewide political power by advocating for social, racial, economic and educational justice. WSU organizations such as the Black Student Union have collaborated with OSA in staging protests. On Sept. 4, over 100 WSU students walked a "March of Solidarity" from the Quad to the front of the university in order to bring awareness of the shooting and issues concerning discrimination and the police.
The OSA had another march on Sept. 22 as part of a three-day rally called "Freedom City." Hundreds of activists walked in the 11-mile march from the site of the shooting to the Xenia Courthouse while a jury decided whether to indict members of the police for their part in the shooting.
"The purpose of Freedom City was to actively show our dedication and leadership to demand the justice on behalf of John Crawford while waiting to hear the verdict of the jurors," said Quanita McRoberts, a WSU senior and field organizer for OSA.
"Young people from all over the country, including Ferguson (Mo.), showed how we are invested for the long term justice of John Crawford III and changing of problematic systems, policies and trainings that target marginalized people and do not protect or ensure the safety of all black youth, brown youth and people of color," McRoberts said.
The jury returned no indictment of the police officers. After the verdict, members of OSA occupied the Beavercreek Police Station on Oct. 8 to share their demands with Police Chief Dennis Evers. Demands included to fire and disarm Officer Sean Williams, who shot Crawford, bring criminal charges against the 911 caller, Ronald Richie, and reconstruct police training and protocols on the use of Force. The demands were not met.
OSA held another rally on Oct. 18 at the Ohio State University Sports House. McRoberts said the organization will continue to fight for justice for Crawford and his family through more mass protests, rallies, community meetings and an ongoing discussion about race and ethnic issues. The Department of Justice has launched an ongoing investigation into the shooting.
