DJ Henry Shooting: Family Calls for Eric Holder to Investigate
The shooting of Pace University football player DJ Henry has been the source of tremendous controversy. Henry was shot by police ten days ago outside a local bar in Thornwood, NY. The 20-year old college student was parked in a No Stopping zone when an officer allegedly tapped on his window, telling him to move. According to police, Henry hit two police officers when moving his car, prompting officers to respond with gunfire.
At the time, police were reacting to a fight that occurred outside the bar, and Henry was not involved in any illegal activity.
Henry’s parents, Angela and Danroy Henry, are asking that Attorney General Eric Holder investigate the shooting, as they do not trust that local law enforcement has been unbiased in their investigation. Someone from inside the police force leaked Henry’s blood alcohol level to the media, which was reportedly above the legal limit. This contradicts accounts by others that Henry was the designated driver for the group with whom he was traveling.
“We share a great concern. Because the information that’s being leaked is coming from a department that’s trying to investigate itself. And we just find that hard to believe,” said DJ’s mother, Angela.
DJ’s father, Danroy said “we’ve always been trying to pursue the truth. What we’re worried about now is that we’re going to be fighting against people who are going to try to deny us that truth.”
The Henry family is taking the right approach to finding out what happened to their son. Given that he was not involved in the fight that police were investigating, it’s hard to imagine that he should have been subject to such a harsh use of deadly force. The story is further complicated by the fact that the officers’ version of events has been contradicted by the accounts of many of the witnesses.
There are a few thoughts that come to mind when I read about the shooting of DJ Henry. First, I think about the fact that police departments in many cities across America are fundamentally designed to deny citizens access to truth and justice. When abnormalities occur within many departments, it’s not out of the question to expect that officers are going to cover for one another. That’s why independent investigations are sometimes necessary.
Secondly, Henry’s shooting reminds all young people of the importance of being very careful in any situation involving the police. Although DJ wasn’t connected to the event that led to the police presence, he’d quickly been engulfed by the umbrella of brutal police authority. Officers are trained to use all necessary force to take control of a situation, and a crowded nightclub is exactly the kind of place where officers might feel their authority would be threatened. Any sudden moves, talking back, or fighting with police can lead to horrific consequences.
Third, in light of the point I just made about officers taking control of their environment, I am not implying that this is the right approach. There are many who have would legitimately question the boundaries of police authority and why officers have the right to be mean and disrespectful to law-abiding citizens. While many officers are helpful and polite, there are quite a few who seem to get a kick out of mistreating people for disobeying even the tiniest of orders. This has got to change.
I look forward to finding out what happens with the shooting of DJ Henry. I hope his family gets the justice they deserve. I could see from the sadness in DJ’s father’s eyes that the damage is eternal, and this is the kind of case where there is no happy ending for any of us.
