Warning: The content of this article may be triggering to some. It deals with hate crimes and the topic of suicide.
Robert Fuller, a 24-year-old Black man, was found dead on June 10th, 2020. His body was discovered near Palmdale City Hall in California hanging from a tree.
As the LA Times reports, the coroner’s office initially described Fuller’s death as a suspected suicide, but that response has been called to question by not only Fuller’s family but thousands of protesters.
California locals came together over the weekend to demand answers on the circumstances of this young man’s death. Speaking to the LA Times, one woman asked:
“They suspect suicide? How can they say that? I can say I suspect a lynching.”
Fuller’s sister, Diamond Alexander, also spoke publicly about her loss, stressing that her family has not been given the information they need regarding her brother’s tragic passing.
“We want to find out the truth on what really happened,” she is quoted saying.
“Everything they told us is not right. We just want the truth. My brother was not suicidal. He was a survivor. He was street smart.”
Reports share that protestors spoke to racist behaviour in the area, asking that officials not be so quick to jump to assumptions Fuller died of suicide.
“We have a history with nooses. We don’t like ropes around our necks,” the La Times quotes one man saying.
“It was a message for the protest we had in Palmdale and Lancaster.”
The pressure is mounting for officials to find answers on Robert Fuller’s death, with Kim Kardashian sharing a link to a public petition regarding the case.
You can read more about that here.
The city of Palmdale California has since announced that it fully supports the call “for an independent investigation and an independent autopsy” of Fuller.
Adding to the heartbreaking nature of this story, it should be noted that Robert Fuller’s has not been the only life lost since this recent wave of protests kicked off in the United States, and around the world. As people fight to have Black lives protected, and Black voices heard, people continue to be brutally killed.
If that doesn’t highlight the emergency at hand, I’m not sure what will.
If you or a loved one needs support, Lifeline offers 24/7 care. Call 13 11 14.
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