Niani Finlayson: Los Angeles Sheriff’s Kills Young Mother of Two
Lancaster, CA—Despite massive protests and calls for police reform around the U.S, law enforcement in Los Angeles County continue to engage in a disturbing pattern of officer involved shootings. One of the latest incidents involves the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD), who recently released body-camera footage of the fatal shooting of 27-year-old Niani Finlayson.
Deputy Ty Shelton is seen discharging his weapon four times within three seconds of entering Finlayson’s Lancaster apartment, during a domestic violence incident on December 4.
Finlayson’s 9 year-old witnessed her mother’s murder.
The shooting of Finalyson adds to the mounting pressures surrounding law enforcement practices in Los Angeles County. Calls for accountability gained national support during the George Floyd protests in 2020. That same year, the Sheriff’s Deputy who killed Finlayson, shot and killed Michael Thomas while also responding to a domestic dispute call.
Read More: Holding Space For Niani: Killer Cops, Domestic Violence And The War On Black Women
The #Standing4BlackGirls coalition and Women’s Leadership Project provides mental health resources, youth leadership development, and advocacy for Black girls and BIPOC queer youth in Los Angeles. On Dec. 27, the #Standing4BlackGirls Coalition held a vigil for Finlayson at the Sheriff’s station on Imperial in Los Angeles.
The Women’s Leadership Project Founder Sikivu Hutchinson is a well-known advocate surrounding the issues of violence against Black women and girls in Los Angeles. She writes about the murder of Finlayson by law enforcement on her website, noting that her death represents the apprehension to call law enforcement by Black women, especially during situations concerning domestic violence.
“Known as “dual arrests”, this travesty involves the concurrent arrest of the assailant and the victim in a domestic violence dispute. Racist/sexist stereotypes that criminalize Black women and girls as violent, out of control, and culpable for their own victimization, drive this disparity.”
Read More: LA sheriff deputy with history of fatalities kills woman who called 911 to report ex-boyfriend
