Elijah McClain

According to his mom, Elijah McClain was a “responsible and curious child ... who could inspire the darkest soul." He was known as a gentle soul, an animal lover and played the violin for the cats at the animal shelter. He was an introvert, a vegetarian. A bit of an oddball with a big heart. 

But none of that should matter. This is just one example of the misconception that all black men and women killed at the hands of the police have done something wrong.

Elijah was walking home on August 24, 2019 with the iced tea he had just purchased when the police were called about a “sketchy” looking person. He was wearing a ski mask on a warm night, because he had anemia which often made him feel cold. (Another fact we should not feel compelled to explain, but there it is.) 

As police aggressively approached McClain, he tried to explain that he is an introvert and asked the officers to “please respect my boundaries.” The officers did the exact opposite. After a scuffle, Elijah was put in two carotid holds (a hold that blocks blood flow and causes unconsciousness) and injected with ketamine to sedate his already limp body. Elijah was loaded into the ambulance, taken to the hospital, and never regained consciousness. He was declared brain dead on August 27, and a few days later, he was removed from life support.

Elijah committed no crime, he had no gun, he had no illegal drugs in his system. He repeatedly tried to explain himself and ask for forgiveness as the officer’s ignored him. The officers told Elijah to stop fighting, when he was only just vomiting and trying to breathe.

Police officers’ biases caused them to refer to this 5’7” 140lbs man as having “crazy strength” from “whatever he was on” (nothing more than marijuana), and overestimate his weight by 80 pounds, resulting in an unnecessarily high dose of ketamine. 

The autopsy report lists a handful of reasons Elijah might have died - intense physical exertion; the carotid hold; the ketamine shot; his medical history; drug use (although nothing stronger than marijuana was in his system). The police officers were not charged and still have yet to be.  

Since then, public outcry and protests have prompted a movement. Governor Jared Polis issued an executive order to reexamine the case. The family filed a lawsuit on August 11, 2020. There are currently multiple investigations going on at the local, state and federal levels, looking into this case, the police department and the use of ketamine by paramedics.

DEMAND Colorado decision makers fire, arrest, charge, and convict those responsible for the murder of Elijah McClain.

SUPPORT Elijah’s mother’s GoFundMe to raise money for legal fees and to set up a foundation that will be used to help the black community and victims of police brutality.

SIGN the petition demanding justice for the murder of Elijah McClain.

FOLLOW @justiceforelijahmcclain for updates and opportunities to help.