Willowbrook, CA–24-year-old Ryan Twyman is the latest young, Black man to be killed by police. Details surrounding what happened prior to the shooting are very peculiar and alarming. Yesterday was day one of two days that his family and friends will be fundraising after his sudden murder by police.
What is known, is that Los Angeles Sheriff’s drove into the apartment complex located on El Segundo and 132nd in an unincorporated area known as Willowbrook, a few miles from Compton.
Ryan was in the car with a friend prior to the shooting. Witnesses recall hearing 20-30 shots after the police encounter. There was a first round of shots, a pause, then another round of shots.
Ryan’s friend was taken into custody, as well as his girlfriend who arrived at the scene soon after. Security who patrol the apartment complex were also taken into custody by police, stripped of their badges, guns and questioned in separate rooms.
Donte Nelson, owner of Bezy Tacos (@Bing34 or @Tbezy) set up his taco stand to help raise funds for Twyman’s family. Nelson said that Ryan’s kids were the reason he donated his time and food.
“It affects the community tremendously because we watched him grow up. For him to get done the way he did by some cops and they just getting away with it, it’s messed up.”
Scroggins Smokehouse BBQ also helped fundraise for the Twyman family. The food did not have a set price and people received a plate by contributions.
Westside’s very own Boogie came to the fundraiser and donated money to Ryan’s girlfriend, who leaves behind three children. The Compton rapper and Shady Records artist who recently wrapped up his Everything For Sale tour, relayed that it would be hypocritical for him not to show support.
“If I didn’t come out here I would be a hypocrite. This is my community. People who listen to my music, they know a lot of my music is based off shit like this. I had to be out here in the field to see this. This my homie, it’s deeper than rap. I had to be here.
When asked why he believes these murders continue to happen by police in our communities his reply was intrinsic.
“Racism. All this stems from racism, people power-hungry. It’s an on going battle. We gotta break the cycle and it has to be more than us on instagram posting. We have to figure out a way to change shit. So that’s where my head at right now.”
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Difficult to write. We’re under assault. TV news this morning said that Trump last night twitted that he plans on deporting millions of undocumented immigrants next week. All this police killing suspects, detainees is rampant, specially against the African Americans of all economic levels; against Latinos, poor whites, Native Americans, south east Asians, Russian Americans, etc. Earl A. Armstrong on Facebook is encouraging a September rally, etc. in front of United Nations Bldg. to protest racist police killing communities of all colors, specially African Americans.