As Stephon Clark is laid to rest, his family and advocates are demanding prosecutors charge the police officers who fatally shot the unarmed 22-year-old father of two

Story Transcript

JAISAL NOOR: The city of Sacramento, California is reportedly on edge ahead of the funeral of Stephon Clark, an unarmed black man who was fatally shot 20 times by police. Sustained protests contined on Wednesday, March 28 as crowds blocked traffic and marched, demanding justice.

Wednesday’s march took place soon after an open casket wake was held for Stephon Clark earlier in the afternoon.

Two Sacramento officers, responding to a report of someone shattering car windows, shot Clark in his grandparents’ backyard on the night of March 18. Police initially said Clark was holding a gun, but later acknowledged he only had a cell phone. Sacramento police chief says he can’t explain why officers turned off the audio of their body cameras before shooting Clark.

The family plans to file a lawsuit against the city. They dispute police accounts that Clark was breaking car windows.

A funeral for Clark is planned for Thursday, with the Reverend Al Sharpton listed as one of the scheduled speakers.

Clark’s family and activists from Black Lives Matter Sacremento are demanding the prosecution of officers resopnsible kiling Clark. Authorties say the investigation is ongoing.

Protests are also expected to again at the Sacremento Kings basketball game on Thursday night. Players from the Kings and Boston Celtics released this PSA decrying the killing of unarmed black men by police.

PSA: We will not stick to sports. We will not shut up and dribble. This is bigger than basketball. Change can be uncomfortable. Change is necessary. We need to talk. We need to act. We matter. We must unite. Say his name. Stephon Clark.

JAISAL NOOR: For the Real News, this is Jaisal Noor.