A petition demanding justice for Elijah McClain, who died following an unsettlingly brutal encounter with violent police last August, has garnered millions of signatures.
Elijah McClain, 23, was walking home in Aurora, Colorado on Aug. 24 when a 911 call was placed by someone who described him as a "suspicious person" despite not being armed or having committed a crime. McClain was listening to music and wearing an open-face ski mask at the time due to his anemia, which would sometimes make him feel cold.
Cops identified as Nathan Woodyard, Jason Rosenblatt, and Randy Roedema responded to the 911 call and ultimately employed the use of a carotid control hold. McClain vomited repeatedly while cuffed, at one point fainting before later being injected with ketamine by paramedics.
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One the way to a hospital, McClain went into cardiac arrest. Days later, he died after being taken off life support.
"If Aurora thinks this is appropriate policing, the community should be petrified," Mari Newman, a family attorney, told the Sentinel in November when it was announced that no state criminal charges would be filed. "We are disappointed, but not surprised that once again, members of law enforcement will not (be) held criminally accountable for killing an unarmed Black man."
At the time of this writing, the Change.org petition calling for a new investigation and for all involved officers to be held accountable had amassed 2.3 million supporters.
Amid protests inspired by cops' murder of George Floyd, Elijah McClain's story has received renewed attention on a national level.
To add your name to the petition, click here. For additional info on how to raise awareness surrounding the call for a new investigation, click here.
