Protesters stop traffic in Wilmington

Family members of a wheelchair bound man shot and killed by police in September stopped traffic in Wilmington Monday afternoon.

Protesters chanted “No Justice, No Peace” and stopped traffic at several intersections including at 10th and Market Streets. The Wilmington residents are still outraged after the September shooting of 28 year old Jeremy McDole who was confined to a wheelchair. Without a city permit, McDole’s sister Keandra led protesters through the downtown area and said more are on the way.

“I’m going to continue to do marches and protests…if I have to do them everyday I’m going to do it because what was done to my brother was dead wrong and it’s unacceptable,” McDole said.

On September 23rd, a caller to 9-1-1 said McDole shot himself. It happened on the 1800 Block of Tulip Street. Wilmington police have said McDole was armed with a .38 caliber weapon.

Immediately after shooting, police officials reported there were four officers involved who have all been placed on administrative duty. To date, the names of those officers haven’t been released.

“There’s nothing in justifying anything about shooting a guy in a wheelchair 17 times until he falls out of his wheelchair.  There’s no way possible,” McDole said.

William Murphy, the family’s attorney said they need answers now even though police are restricted to comment on this matter.

“What we want is a full and thorough investigation of course, but the family has the right to know what is going on. The family needs to know the progress of this investigation. The family needs to know a time table and so far none of this has been forth coming,” Murphy said.

According to Reverend Lawrence Livingston who joined protesters, the shooting death of McDole is a story that’s all too familiar.

“This is a part of the ongoing racism and white supremacy we see throughout the nation. This kind of thing doesn’t happen in white communities. We continue to see it happen in our community, in the African American community,” Livingston said.

During the march, there were no arrests but police had to physically stop about six protesters from taking the protest inside downtown businesses.

Meanwhile, the Wilmington Police Department and the Delaware Dept. of Justice’s Office of Civil Rights and Public Trust are currently reviewing the case.