Thousands Protest At Wisconsin Capitol After Cop Shoot Unarmed Black Teen

By aaroncynic in News on Mar 10, 2015 9:30PM

Demonstrators, most of whom are students who walked out of their classrooms, protest outside of the City Hall building on March 9, 2015 in Madison, Wisconsin<br/>

At the March 9 protest<br/>

A photograph of Tony Robinson <br>

Tony Robinson (L) and Andrea Irwin, the parents of 19-year-old Tony Robinson, comfort each other outside the home where their son was killed on March 9, 2015<br/>

Outside the house where Tony Robinson was killed<br/>

A woman scrubs blood from the porch outsided the home where 19-year-old Tony Robinson was shot and killed<br/>

At the March 9 protest<br/>

At the March 9 protest<br/>

Demonstrators, most of whom are students who walked out of their classrooms, protest outside of the City Hall building on March 9, 2015 in Madison, Wisconsin<br/>

Tony Robinson (L) and Andrea Irwin, the parents of 19-year-old Tony Robinson, comfort each other outside the home where their son was killed on March 9, 2015<br/>

Today, Mike Ring signs a memorial on the porch at the home where 19-year-old Tony Robinson was shot and killed in Madison, Wisconsin. <br/>

Demonstrators, most of whom are students who walked out of their classrooms, protest outside of the City Hall building on March 9, 2015 in Madison, Wisconsin<br/>

A sign sits among flowers at a memorial to 19-year-old Tony Robinson outside the home where he was killed on March 9, 2015 in Madison, Wisconsin<br/>

Demonstrators, most of whom are students who walked out of their classrooms today, protest outside of the City Hall building on March 9, 2015 in Madison, Wisconsin.<br/>

At the March 9 protest<br/>

At the March 9 protest<br/>

At the March 9 protest<br/>

Outside the house where Tony Robinson was killed<br/>

Outside the house where Tony Robinson was killed<br/>

Outside the house where Tony Robinson was killed<br/>

Police tape<br>

Some 1,500 demonstrators, many of them students, took over the Capitol yesterday in Madison, Wisconsin with a series of protests surrounding the death of Tony Robinson, a unarmed 19-year-old biracial man shot by a white officer.

According to the Wisconsin State Journal, thunderous chants of “justice for Tony” echoed throughout the City-County building as demonstrators demanded a meeting with Mayor Paul Soglin and Police Chief Mike Kova. These protests were some of the largest at the Capitol since the rallies during 2011 in opposition to the Wisconsin Budget Repair Bill. Demonstrations began almost immediately at Robinson’s house after he was shot and killed by officer Matt Kenny, according to a neighbor who spoke to NBC News.

Police allege that Robinson was shot after reports of a man jumping in front of traffic led to a chase which took Kenny into a home, where the officer says Robinson allegedly attacked him. The Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation is spearheading an inquiry into the matter.

Robinson’s death at the hands of police is the latest in a long line of incidents involving officers killing young, unarmed men of color. According to an AP report, the shooting, which took place in one of the city’s most “liberal” neighborhoods, has brought to light racial disparities in a city considered to be extremely progressive. Sergio Gonzalez, a 27-year-old graduate student told the AP:

"Madison relies on its progressive history and past to ignore the current realities. It's unfortunate it takes the death of a 19-year-old to open up the eyes of Madison."

Both the mayor and police chief have apologized for the shooting. In a blog post on the Madison Police Department’s website, Chief Koval said:

“The police are part of this community---and we share this sense of loss. I have stated as much to representatives of his family, in statements to the press, and to our work force. Reconciliation cannot begin without my stating "I am sorry," and I don't think I can say this enough. I am sorry.”

An apology, though, is little comfort to a family mourning the loss of a relative, particularly during a time when young men of color nationwide are being gunned down regularly by police. Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Turin Carter, Robinson’s uncle said:

“We appreciate the police and we understand the necessity for them but once again that does not excuse what happened. It takes one bullet from a trained gunman to end a life - it takes one bullet... This is a bigger issue than Tony. This highlights a universal issue with law enforcement. It’s surreal to realize that my nephew is now a hashtag.”