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Demonstrators with Last Chance for Change continued marching on Monday to demand answers from the Syracuse Police Department about two officers’ killing of Steve Smith.

Sgt. Jason Wells and Kenneth Sheehan, two SPD officers, shot and killed Smith on Sept. 4 during what the department has alleged was an exchange of gunfire at the Sunoco Gas Station on North State Street. SPD has not yet released body camera footage from the incident and has not commented on who shot first in the altercation that resulted in Smith’s death.

Following their usual route, demonstrators marched from the Institute of Technology at Syracuse Central to SPD headquarters, where they demanded answers from SPD about Smith’s killing. Smith’s family also joined Monday’s demonstration, leading the group by car down South State Street to the Public Safety Building.

“We need the community to come out and be a community,” said Dramar Felton, an organizer with Last Chance for Change. “Support the family that would be supporting you if it happened to you.”

As the demonstrators marched, several other cars honked their horns as drivers raised their fists in support.

Felton and other organizers have said the movement will march for 40 days or until they get justice for Smith. Last Chance for Change previously marched for 40 days over May, June and July to protest police brutality and racial injustice in the city. 

“What do we want? Justice. When do we want it? Now.” pic.twitter.com/1CR8GpWRi4

— Maggie Hicks (@Maggie_hickss) September 28, 2020

The organization was also one of 15 local advocacy groups to issue nine demands in June for reforming SPD. The demands, which Mayor Walsh partially agreed to in July, include demilitarizing SPD, removing school resource officers from the Syracuse City School District, and implementing the Right to Know Act.

“How can we stop the violence amongst ourselves when we have the police — who should be helping to protect our families and helping to stop the violence in our communities — killing our own people and making excuses for it?” Felton said.

At the end of the demonstration, Felton said they would resume marching tomorrow at 4 p.m. to ensure that they arrive at the Public Safety Building during office hours.

Felton encouraged the demonstrators at today’s march to tell their friends, family and neighbors to come and show support throughout the week.

“We got to keep fighting until we get something that’s supposed to be equal or that’s actually justice,” Felton said. “This don’t stop until we get justice for all.

Published on September 28, 2020 at 11:56 pm

Contact Maggie: mehicks@syr.edu | @maggie_hickss