Protesters marched throughout the streets of Waukegan Saturday to demand justice in the death of a 19-year-old Black man who was shot and killed by a police officer earlier in the week.
Marcellis Stinnette was fatally shot, and his girlfriend, Tafara Williams, 20, was injured following what police described as a traffic stop late Tuesday night. Police have contended the shooting was self-defense.
Waukegan Police Chief Wayne Walles announced Friday the officer who shot both individuals was fired for “multiple policy and procedure violations.”
After the officer's firing, protesters are hoping that even more actions will be taken.
"We demand to have a special prosecutor," said Clyde McLemore with Black Lives Matter of Lake County. "We also demand the officer's name be released."
Williams' father, Trevor Williams, left his daughter's bedside at the hospital to join the weekend protest.
"She's in pain, and I'm just hoping she gets through this," Trevor Williams said. "I want to see justice done in the right way."
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Waukegan Mayor Sam Cunningham has vowed to give the community a thorough and fully-transparent investigation. The Illinois State Police is leading the investigation into the shooting, with the assistance of the FBI.
The U.S. Department of Justice has also agreed to review the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
Meanwhile, demonstrators said they'll continue to march, rally and and protest until they get justice. Protesters have also requested to see body camera footage from the night of the shooting.
"We wanna be nonviolent," McLemore said. "We wanna break the peace. And we want to let them know the country is in a state of emergency for Black and Brown people."
