Justice for Elijah McClain
August 24th, 2019, 23-year-old Elijah McClain was walking home after buying some tea at a local convenience store. According to Elijahâs family, Elijah, who was anemic, preferred to wear a ski mask to keep his face warm while he was walking. The Aurora Police Department received a call of a âsuspicious manâ. This call resulted in Elijahâs death. After the McClain family requested the bodycam footage from the officers on scene it was reported that in the footage,
âHe is laying on the ground vomiting, he is begging, he is saying, âI canât breathe.â One of the officers says, 'Donât move again. If you move again, Iâm calling in a dog to bite you,ââ -Mari Newman (the McClainâs lawyer)
When the paramedics arrived they administered a dose of Ketamine to the already unconscious Elijah to âsedateâ him. He was pronounced dead August 27th, 2019, at only 23 years old of a heart attack. Denver 7 News stated, ââŚthey couldnât determine whether McClainâs death was an accident, was due to natural causes, or is a homicide related to the police departmentâs use of a carotid holdâ. The officers on the scene were placed on temporary leave, however, they are back in the field with no charges.
