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ActivismRace

the mysterious deaths of ferguson activists

March 21, 2019

This isn’t the first time we’ve called this out, but it’s time we have a real conversation about the deaths of Ferguson activists. In the past four and a half years since Ferguson became ground zero in the fight against police brutality, several activists associated with the movement have mysteriously and suspiciously died.

According to the Kansas City Star, six Black men with ties to the Ferguson movement have been found dead since the movement began. Two men — Deandre Joshua and Darren Seals — were found shot to death in cars, and three men — MarShawn McCarrel, Edward Crawford and Danye Jones — died of apparent suicide. Another man, live-streamer Bassem Masri, collapsed on a bus and suffered what was ruled an overdose.

While police claim that there is no evidence that these deaths had anything to do with their resistance to police brutality in the wake of Michael Brown’s death, their subsequent ends sure are convenient.

In addition, locals like Rev. Darryl Gray have reported incidents of being harassed around town. In the Reverend’s case, he found a box inside his car which he thought was a bomb. But when a bomb squad arrived, they found a 6-foot python instead. “Everybody is on pins and needles,” Gray said of his fellow activists.

No arrests have been made in connection to the two aforementioned murders. Let alone the alleged suicides. “We don’t believe either one was connected to each other,” said St. Louis County police spokesman Shawn McGuire said, adding, “It’s tough to come up with a motive without a suspect.”

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