Young girl makes tearful plea after Charlotte shooting: 'Our parents are killed and we can't even see them any more'
Following the death of Keith Scott in the hands of police, 10-year-old Zianna Oliphant said it was a ‘shame that our fathers and mothers are killed and we can’t see them anymore'
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A young girl has made a powerful plea to end the “wrongful treatment” of black people in Charlotte, North Carolina, following police shootings.
The African-American girl, 10-year-old Zianna Oliphant, told the city council meeting that she felt black people were being treated differently.
"It's a shame that our fathers and mothers are killed and we can't even see them any more," said Zianna.
"It's a shame that we have to go to that graveyard and bury them.
"And we have tears and we shouldn’t have tears. We need our fathers and mothers to be by our side."
At the Monday night meeting, residents in Charlotte demanded the resignation of mayor Jennifer Roberts, and police chief Kerr Putney.
The calls follow the police shooting of Keith Lamont Scott. After a bitter struggle, police released the dash cam and body cam footage, which they say provided inconclusive evidence as to whether the 43-year-old was armed.
Mr Putney said police approached Scott when they saw he was rolling a joint and in possession of a gun, which was a "public safety issue".
Witness accounts say Scott was sitting in his car, reading a book and waiting for his daughter to return from school, and that he did not point a weapon at police.
"I don’t like how we are treated and just because of our colour, [that] doesn’t mean anything to me," she said.
"I believe that—" when the girl broke off and cried, she was encouraged by shouts from the audience.
"We are black people and we shouldn’t have to feel like this," she continued. "We have to protest because y’all are treating us wrong. We do this because we need to, to have rights.
"I’ve been born and raised in Charlotte and I’ve never felt this way until now."
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments