On Sunday, May 25th, while driving to the Best of the Best Concert in Downtown Miami, Menelek Clarke was shot multiple times by a Miami police officer. Police alleged that Clarke hit the officer with his vehicle after being asked to stop at the intersection. The incident left Clarke wounded, his family traumatized, and some community members confused.
Clarke’s sister, Sherylann, was also in the car during the shooting. She alleges that her brother “did nothing wrong” and that the officer did not “attempt to come to the side of the car to try to approach [her] brother.” Furthermore, she made clear that, in her opinion, her brother posed no threat to the officer. In a statement to WSVN 7, Sherylann mentions how the officer escalated the situation, blocking Clarke’s vehicle multiple times after asking him to move and before beginning to shoot immediately.
Those who disagree (especially under this Instagram post) point to Clarke’s car as an undeniable threat to the officer’s safety. Due to the lack of clarity, members of the community are unsure of what really happened and how.
Bystander footage does not show Clarke striking the officer with his vehicle; however, the clip does show the officer on top of the hood of Clarke’s car. The 21-year-old was hand-cuffed and transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital Ryder Trauma Center for surgery and the police officer was admitted to a hospital for minor injuries.
The officer’s bodycamera footage, and name, has yet to be released and The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is now investigating the incident.
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