Peaceful protests planned for Dearborn after death of Kevin Matthews
DEARBORN, Mich (WJBK) - Protesters plan to walk Michigan Avenue for a peaceful protest against a Dearborn Police Officer who shot a man before Christmas.
Dozens and dozens of people from across the country are expected to converge on Detroit and brave the cold weather for the planned protest down Michigan Ave.
Kevin Matthews was killed on December 23rd. He was wanted on an outstanding warrant and allegedly was involved in a theft in Dearborn before officers spotted him. A Dearborn police officer chased him to the 8000 block of Whitcomb Avenue, which is near Tireman Avenue and Greenfield Road when he was shot and killed by an officer.
Once the officer caught up to him to arrest him, the officer said the two got into a fight over the officer's gun. The officer got the upper hand and pulled the trigger, killing Matthews.
The 36-year-old Matthews suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and was prescribed medication, his family said. He was unarmed when the officers were chasing him.
One of the leaders of the protest is Rev. Charles Williams II with the National Action Network. He delivered the eulogy for Matthews over the weekend.
"Whether it was someone who got shot by a police officer or whether it was someone who robbed to get a bag of chips and take presents to their families house its wrong its all wrong," he said. "When we move in mass and we move in peace we know get results so we are moving in mass we are moving in non violence and hope to get results."
Detroit police are leading the investigation into the shooting death.
The protest is scheduled for 6:30 Monday night. Members of Matthews family along with several civil rights groups and other supporters will meet in the parking lof ot the Kroger at the corner of Michigan and Greenfield. They plan to make their way from the parking lot to the Dearborn Police Department to encourage action and accountability.
A spokesperson for the Detroit police department tells me this is still an active investigation. they want to make sure it is thorough and complete before a report is sent to the wayne county prosecutors office for consideration. There is no time table for when that may happen.