Steve Harvey, Meek Mill, Trey Songz, D.L. Hughley and many others took to social media to express their outrage at the fatal police shooting of Terence Crutcher, an unarmed 40-year-old black man.
Tulsa, Oklahoma police released video footage on Monday of Crutcher being shot and killed by a white officer after police responded to a stalled vehicle on Friday. The video has since gone viral and ignited backlash over the continuing disproportionate rate of police brutality against black men.
“I just seen a terrorist survive a shootout with police after blowing some s— up and later on that day a black man shot down for no reason at all,” Philadelphia rapper Meek Mill posted on Instagram Tuesday.
His thoughts were accompanied by a photo of Crutcher beside which he also stated that he “never believed in America,” citing multiple reasons for his lack of faith in the country.
Many others echoed his sentiments, wondering how Ahmad Khan Rahami, the man who is suspected of carrying out bombings in New York and New Jersey this past weekend, was able to survive a shootout with police but Crutcher was shot and killed with his hands up.
“A bomber, literally a terrorist, shoots it out with the cops and is safely detained yet this unarmed black man is shot down like so many others,” Trey Songz wrote.
The “Chapter V” artist also made a point to reference all the critics of Colin Kaepernick’s choice to sit out the national anthem.
“Can you not see why Colin Kaepernick says f— your national anthem?!” the singer wrote.
Comedian D.L. Hughley also called out, by name, people who were opposed to Kaepernick’s protest.
“All the people from Jerry Rice to Jason Whitlock to Ray Lewis to Rodney Harrison who were so upset about Colin Kaepernick not standing up, I wish all of them were just as upset about Terence Crutcher getting shot down,” Hughley said in a video. “Because as I recall, that’s how this whole s— started.”
“Family Feud” host Steve Harvey wondered how four officers couldn’t simply tackle an unarmed man and had to resort to shooting him.
“How four people got to start shooting one unarmed man,” said Harvey in a video posted to his Twitter. “This is crazy, this country losing it.”
Crutcher’s death is the latest in a string of police shootings of black men. Earlier this summer, Alton Sterling and Philando Castile made headlines in Minnesota and Louisiana, respectively, when they were killed by police.
According to a Washington Post’ database that tracks police shootings, Crutcher is one of 162 black men to have been killed by law enforcement officers this year.
See more reactions below.
So tired of seeing these videos. When do the people who pay taxes get protection? #TerenceCrutcher pic.twitter.com/MkVH2F7js5
— Steve Harvey (@IAmSteveHarvey) September 20, 2016
I wish Americans were as upset @ #TerenceCrutcher gettin shot DOWN as they r @ #Kaepernick not standing UP! #TeamDL pic.twitter.com/vpGn0kRErS
— DL Hughley (@RealDLHughley) September 20, 2016
This requires everyone's outrage. It needs to stop. https://t.co/fYji4fixeA
— Rashida Jones (@iamrashidajones) September 20, 2016
hunters hunting https://t.co/QMV0vwSCIi
— jesse Williams. (@iJesseWilliams) September 19, 2016
This. This. THIS!!!!!!! https://t.co/ZlEZSoUO5a
— Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) September 20, 2016
A terrorist can be taken away alive after a shootout while #TerenceCruthcher is shot dead with no physical action taken. Mind boggling
— Ronnie Stanley (@megatronnie) September 20, 2016
They find a bomb suspect and put him on a stretcher while an innocent man who's car broke down gets SHOT AND DIES?!! HOWW!! Plz tell me how!
— Karrueche Tran (@karrueche) September 20, 2016
A little backwards don't you think? #Kaepernick7 #injustice #TerenceCruthcher #RIP 😞 pic.twitter.com/2YSseLmnwp
— Trenyce (@trenyce) September 20, 2016
we are all one bullet away from becoming a hashtag.. #TerenceCruthcher
— JAHKING (@JahkingGuillory) September 20, 2016
so all you you "mad at national anthem kneelers" w verification checks—-yall got another 2 cents for #TerenceCruthcher or nah?
— ?st (@questlove) September 20, 2016
Do we need to carry a printed card that says "Officer, I am a law-abiding citizen. Please don't kill me." #TerenceCruthcher #NoMoreHashtags
— Courtney A. Kemp (@CourtneyKemp) September 20, 2016
How the helicopter pilots profile him from the sky?! Disgusting. #TerenceCruthcher
— Jamal Anderson (@jamthedirtybird) September 20, 2016