Jordan Edwards: Does His Death Matter More than Others?

Heather Sells
05-02-2017

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Jordan Edwards, the black teenager fatally shot by police in Texas, had excellent grades, athletic talent and came from a stable, two-parent home. Those facts have been highlighted over and over again as people angrily call for justice, but some say that the narrative is elevating his death over other police-related killings of African-American boys and men.

It's one of the more passionate conversations taking place on social media right now.

Balch Springs police chief Jonathan Haber says an officer shot and killed Edwards Saturday night while he was a passenger in a car driving away from a house party that had apparently got out of hand. Edwards family attorney Lee Merritt says police had arrived on the scene to investigate an underage drinking complaint. Close to that same time, he says that Edwards and four others left the party and jumped in the car after hearing gun shots.  As they drove away, one officer shot Edwards.

Thousands of Twitter and Facebook users have protested the shooting using the hashtag #jordanedwards.

 

 


The artist Lecrae pointed out that Edwards was unarmed when he was shot and that he had a 3.5 GPA.

 

 

Author and pastor Leonce Crump Jr. tweeted "Two parents. Straight 'A' student. No record. Still killed. What excuse will they offer this time. Can't blame 'fatherlessness.' Can't point to a 'troubled past.'"

 

 

Edwards, a freshman at Mesquite high school, has received praise for his athletic promise as part of the football team. The head coach told The Dallas Morning News that Edwards never got into trouble and got along well with adults and students alike.

A Danger in Focusing on Edwards' Character?

But other black Christian leaders are pointing out that speaking of Edwards' exemplary character and family might not be in the best interests of furthering justice.

"I'm seeing #JordanEdwards grades, GPA and wholesome family life being used to show how unjustified and wicked his lynching is," tweeted theology and social justice write Ekemini Uwan. She added that Edward's killing "is wicked because he was made in the image of God. Full stop."

 

 

Tyler Burns of the Reformed African American Network and others are urging Twitter followers to consider that "perfect victims" are not needed for justice to take place.  "The fact that #JordanEdwards has a 'wholesome' life story is inconsequential. His life would still matter even if his story were different," Burns tweeted.

The Edwards' lawyer says the family wants authorities to fire and criminally charge the officer who shot their son.  The police chief, however, is calling for time to complete an investigation.  Police have not identified the officer or his race but say he's been "removed from all duties" and placed on leave.

Police have changed their account of what happened the night of the shooting. Originally they said that the vehicle that Edwards rode in was backing up towards police "in an aggressive manner." On Monday they changed the narrative, saying that video showed the vehicle was "moving forward as the officers approached."

 

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About The Author

Heather
Sells

Heather Sells covers wide-ranging stories for CBN News that include religious liberty, ministry trends, immigration, and education. She’s known for telling personal stories that capture the issues of the day, from the border sheriff who rescues migrants in the desert to the parents struggling with a child that identifies as transgender. In the last year, she has reported on immigration at the Texas border, from Washington, D.C., in advance of the Dobbs abortion case, at crisis pregnancy centers in Massachusetts, and on sexual abuse reform at the annual Southern Baptist meeting in Anaheim
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