Diallo Sekou speaks to the crowd about Bing Jr. (Photo by Richard Blake)

Jacksonville, FL - Over 50 community members gathered here, June 11, at 9th and Liberty Street to protest the police killing of Vernell Bing Jr. Bing was killed on May 22 after his car collided with a police cruiser at the end of a car chase initiated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO). After the crash, Bing left his vehicle, unarmed, and was shot in the head by Officer Tyler L. Landreville. This comes just over a year after another white JSO officer shot and killed another unarmed African American, D'Angelo Stallworth.

The Justice for Bing rally, hosted by Jacksonville's Kemetic Empire, drew local leaders and organizers. Diallo Sekou, chairman of the Kemetic Empire, called for the arrest and trial of Officer Landreville on murder charges.

Other speakers included City Councilman Reggie Gaffney, who called for an independent investigation into the shooting. Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is one of the many law enforcement agencies in Florida that investigate themselves. Wells Todd, from the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition, spoke out against the ongoing systematic oppression from the capitalist class that benefits and rewards the killing and incarceration of Blacks.

Saturday's rally saw many speakers from different walks of life gather together in solidarity to make non-negotiable demands that Landerville be brought to justice and that the city of Jacksonville adopt a Community Police Accountability Council and outfit officers with body cameras. Additionally, organizers of the rally provided food, drinks, and a DJ for the attendees and their families.

Organizers have already been successful in forcing the FBI to investigate this shooting and will continue to gather at 9th and Liberty Street every weekday at 6:30 p.m. until the officer who murdered Bing is arrested.