Megan Cassidy

The Republic | azcentral.com

Two days after an unarmed Black man was killed by a White police officer in Phoenix at the height of national unrest over racially charged incidents, a grieving family wants to redirect the dialogue.

Rumain Brisbon's mother and girlfriend don't want the conversation about his death to center on race.

Nora Brisbon, who is Black, and Dana Klinger, who is White, want the conversation to be about the son, boyfriend and father they loved.

"This had nothing to do with race," Nora said. "This is about Rumain and the wrong that was done to him, and I want people to focus on that. If they want to rally, let's support him positively."

The family's request comes as demonstrations and protests continue across the country in response to the lack of indictments for officers who killed unarmed Black suspects in Ferguson, Mo., and New York City.

Approximately 150 people gathered downtown at Phoenix Civic Space Park on Thursday night to "begin an active campaign of direct action and civil disobedience over the police-brutality-related death of Rumain Brisbon," said the Rev. Jarrett Maupin, a civil-rights advocate.

Maupin, who organized the event, led demonstrators in practicing their protest chants before marching more than a mile to Phoenix police headquarters.

That's not what Nora Brisbon was asking for. She said she would rather that the focus be on the positive aspects of her son's life.

"Rumain was the type of son that most people, believe it or not, wish they had," she said. "He could be a million miles away, and you call him and say, 'Rumain, I need this. Can you help me with that?' And in a few minutes: 'I'm on my way.' "

The women said Rumain, 34, doted on his four girls, one of whom — an 18-month-old who is Klinger's daughter — was close by when her father died Tuesday night, Klinger said.

"I don't know what they're going to do without their dad, and I don't know what I'm going to do without him to raise my child," Klinger said. "He took really good care of me, he checked on me every day. I don't know what I'm going to tell my daughter when it's time to tell her."

The women and the family's attorneys said they were dismayed by how Rumain Brisbon had been portrayed in the media and by police as a criminal. Brisbon had a criminal record.

The officer who shot Brisbon is a 30-year-old, seven-year veteran of the Phoenix Police Department. The department was not releasing his name, and a police spokesman has asked the public to withhold judgment until an investigation is complete.

Police said the officer had been tipped off that two men inside a black Cadillac SUV, one of whom was Brisbon, were engaged in a drug deal at an apartment complex near 25th Avenue and Beck Lane, just north of Greenway Road and east of Interstate 17.

Police said that the officer told Brisbon to show his hands but that Brisbon stuffed his hands into his waistband. They said that the officer drew his weapon and that Brisbon ran toward nearby apartments. A short foot chase ensued, followed by a struggle in which they tumbled into an apartment, police said.

The officer said he had gripped Brisbon's hand, which was in his pocket and coiled around something the officer presumed to be a gun. Police said that when the officer could no longer keep his grip on Brisbon's hand — and because he feared Brisbon had a weapon in his pocket — the officer fired two shots.

The object Brisbon was gripping was a pill bottle.

Court records show that Brisbon was serving probation stemming from a 1998 burglary conviction. He also was booked on suspicion of driving under the influence twice, in 2009 and in October. He also had a marijuana conviction.

Nora Brisbon didn't deny that her son had made mistakes but said he needs to be remembered for his "goodness."

"Of course he did a few bad things here and there, but they've been taken care of," she said. "He was not just some raggedy thug out there on the street. He made a difference in everybody's life that he touched."

Marci Kratter, a Phoenix attorney who represented Brisbon in a DUI case and is now representing his family, said she hopes the officer is held accountable. Kratter said she is waiting until all the facts are revealed to define what accountable would mean.

Brisbon's mother said if anything comes out of her son's death, she hopes his story gives pause to officers in the future.

"Understand that everybody is not bad … (to) think before they shoot," she said. "So many people are losing their families — Black, White, all different races. This is a tragedy to us as a people."