POLICE SHOOTING OF MOTHER AND INFANT

The questions being raised by Black residents of Lima, Ohio are simple and direct: "Why did the police shoot and kill 26-year-old Tarika Wilson and wound the 14-month-old infant she was holding in her arms?"

The incident took place nearly a month ago but authorities are providing few answers. But during a recent demonstration, 200 protesting residents restated their demand for "Truth and Justice."

However, all that is currently known is that members of a SWAT team suspected Wilson's boyfriend, Anthony Terry, of selling drugs from Wilson's rented house. Then on the evening of January 4th, according to neighbors, they bashed in the front door with guns drawn and somehow ended up shooting and killing Wilson as she stood in shock holding her 14-month-old son Sincere. There have been no reports that Wilson in any way threatened the officers and no attempt to explain the shooting of the infant.

Thus far one officer (the alleged shooter) has been placed on "paid administrative leave." Toledo, Ohio reporter Vickie Shurelds tells the National Black News Journal that regional NAACP leaders and a legal representative from the national NAACP office met this past Thursday night to plot actions and demand answers.

Lima's Black residents have long accused local police of being racist and treating all Blacks as if they are to be feared. Wilson neighbor, 56-year-old Junior Cook, told the New York Times, "The cops in Lima are racist like no tomorrow. Why else would you shoot a mother with a baby in her arms?"