“We don’t just stand for Dontre, but for everyone”

Editor’s note: The People’s Tribune’s Sandy Reid interviewed Dameion Hamilton, a brother of Dontre Hamilton who was killed by police in Milwaukee, WI.
“On April 30, my brother left a hotel in downtown Milwaukee and went to a park. While there, he decided to take a nap. An employee from Starbucks felt there was an issue and called the police. Two officers came by and spoke to my brother, made sure he was OK, and left. Then, Dontre went to sleep again. The employee called the police again. Two officers came back. They told the employee that the man was not doing anything wrong and to not call police anymore. Within 45 minutes, Officer Manning shows up. Dontre was awakened abruptly.
“The officer performed a Terry pat down on him for no reason and started beating my brother with his baton. The officer said Dontre retrieved the baton. Some say Dontre hit the officer; others say he never swung the baton. The officer stood in a defensive stance, about 20 feet away and said to Dontre, “So you want to play?” He opened up 14 shots on my brother. Seven of 14 shots were shot in a downward spiral. That means Dontre had fallen to the ground or was already on the ground while the officer was standing over him shooting. In the midst of the shooting, his hands were up—his thumb was blown off. Witnesses say they saw the officer shooting my brother after he was down. Yet, a few days before Christmas, the District Attorney said the officer would not be charged. He has been fired, but not charged in the use of deadly force. An hour after that decision, the Federal government picked up the case.
“We’ve been protesting for about six months and will continue until we get justice. This movement has been peaceful. We’re trying to make a statement. But the police don’t want us out here. They arrested 74 people in a peaceful highway protest. They didn’t have to get arrested. They were fighting for justice.
“They’ve been trying to defame my brother’s character. When they notified my mother of Dontre’s death, they put her in a car and asked her questions about her kids. They tried to ask me about him, too. My brother suffered from schizophrenia. But, I want to make clear. Dontre’s illness did not kill him. He was murdered. The officer needs to be charged with murder.
“My brother was non violent. He would give you the shirt off his back. He lived his life for his family. We are pushing grieving off to use our energy to fight for Dontre’s rights. This is not about money. We want policies put in place so that officers know how to assess people with mental issues. We have to put things in order so the poverty level in the community won’t be so high. This is not just a Milwaukee thing; its national. We’re trying to provide a better environment for the kids. We can’t bring my brother back but we hate to see another person lose their life due to a senseless killing.
“I’m a songwriter. When I’m asked to sum up who my brother was to me, I say, Dontre was the perfect lyric within an awesome beat.”
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