AP/HandoutAn unarmed teenager shot dead by a trainee police officer in the U.S. tweeted “I don’t want to die young” just a week before his death.
19-year-old Christian Taylor was killed by Arlington Police Officer Brad Miller after he allegedly crashed through a car showroom’s window and fought with police officers in Texas.
Arlington Police officers reportedly approached Mr Taylor, who was a defensive back at Angelo State University, and shot him after an “altercation”.
Taylor’s death coincides with the anniversary weekend of Michael Brown’s shooting in Ferguson, Missouri. The death of Brown, another unarmed black teenager, sparked unrest across the U.S. amid growing concern and scrutiny over racial bias among the country’s police forces.
Over the past year, a Twitter account thought to belong to Taylor posted a number of tweets about his distrust of the police in light of the shootings, including one post about how he didn’t want to die young, just one week before he was shot dead.
I don't wanna die too younggggg
— October 13th (@he_got_sneaks) July 31, 2015
I don't feel protected by the police
— October 13th (@he_got_sneaks) August 12, 2014
Our police system is a joke, when will we ever be protected?
— October 13th (@he_got_sneaks) December 24, 2014
Police taking black lives as easy as flippin a coin, with no consequences smh
— October 13th (@he_got_sneaks) December 24, 2014
Miller, the officer-in-training who shot the unarmed teenager, has been placed on leave while a major investigation into the incident is carried out.
