This past weekend marked the 18th anniversary of Amadou Diallo‘s death.
In the early hours of February 4, 1999, 23-year-old Diallo was returning to his New York apartment when he was stopped by four plain-clothed policemen who claimed he looked like a rapist they were searching for.
Diallo, who had moved to America from Guinea only three years earlier, was shot at 41 times by the officers. 19 of those bullets hit him.
They later said that they thought he was removing a weapon from his pocket. The poor guy was only removing his wallet so he could identify himself.
No weapon was found on him or in his house either.
A song titled ‘Diallo’ was then recorded in honour of the slain man by music star Wyclef Jean and featuring Youssou N’Dour.
It’s found in the singer’s The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II a Book album released a year later.
Incredibly, the four policemen were acquitted in court and none of them was ever punished for taking the life of the young man.
No Fields Found.