Faith leaders call for police reform after video surfaces of man’s fatal shooting
By Brian Johnson
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KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KMBC) — Faith leaders in Kansas City said they are outraged by what they saw in the latest video of the fatal police shooting of Malcolm Johnson at a BP gas station on March 25.
They said police reforms are needed.
“When I saw the video, I was flabbergasted. I was astonished. I was saddened. I deeply was hurt for our community,” said the Rev. Randy Fikki, of Unity Southeast in Kansas City.
Inside the sanctuary of Concord Fortress of Hope Church, ministers said they believe there were lied to by law enforcement.
“It is not accurate to what the highway patrol has put out,” said Khadijah Hardaway.
“This is a policy issue, this is a transparency issue, and this is holding police accountable when things don’t go well,” said Pastor Ron Lindsay, of the Concord Fortress of Hope Church.
They’re calling for the officers involved in the shooting to be removed from duty until the investigation is complete. They also want police Chief Rick Smith to resign or be fired.
“We have to start from the top. This is nothing more than a lynching, and execution against our people,” said Anton Washington, a Kansas City activist.
“Why were the videos handed over to us? And the question can be answered easily, it is because the community does not trust police,” said the Rev. Emanuel Cleaver III, of St. James United Methodist Church.
“We want Kansas City to be a safe city in every ZIP code and we believe in policing. I want this on the record. But we don’t believe in this kind of policing in Kansas City,” said pastor Darron Edwards, of United Believers Community Church.
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