Kanye West donates $150,000 for security guard killed by officer in suburban Chicago
Rapper Kanye West donated $150,000 to a memorial fundraising site for a security guard shot by an officer near his hometown Chicago.
West gave through the GoFundMe page made to raise money for the funeral of Jemel Roberson, 26, far exceeding the goal. Bart Jackson, a representative for GoFundMe, confirmed the contribution.
“Sadly, Jemel’s life was tragically and unexpectedly cut short this morning as he tried to save others from senseless violence,” the page creator wrote on behalf of Roberson’s mother.
How he was killed
Roberson was shot by an officer from Midlothian, Illinois while detaining a gunman outside of Manny’s Blue Room Lounge in Robbins, where he worked, according to a federal lawsuit. Witnesses said the alleged gunman returned to the bar after security asked him and several drunken men to leave, CNN affiliate WGN reported.
The responding officer fatally shot Roberson in his side, after giving him “multiple verbal commands to drop the gun and get on the ground,” according to a statement filed by Illinois State Police, citing witnesses.
Roberson’s mother, Beatrice Roberson, sued for more than $1 million, listing the unnamed responding officer and the village of Midlothian as defendants.
Outrage following the killing
Many have expressed outrage and concerns of alleged racial bias in this latest instance of police killing a black man.
US Sen. Corey Booker, D-New Jersey, tweeted, “Words can’t begin to describe my horror and outrage.”
US Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, called the shooting “heartbreaking.”
“My baby lost his father, his hero” Avontae Boose, the mother of Roberson’s son, told CNN affiliate WLS. “Jemel loved his babies so much.”
Article via CNN