MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Rise Up Memphis gathered outside the Memphis Police Association building Wednesday following an officer-involved shooting.
The shooting on Sept. 17 left 25-year old Martavious Banks in critical condition.
Banks’ mother, Janice Banks, was flanked by a small but passionate group that protested outside of the office off Jefferson Ave.
The crowd, made up of Banks’ family, pastors and community activists yelled several times, “Justice for Martavious!”
They asked MPA President Mike Williams to come out and speak with the group but Williams did not come outside.
However at one point, a line of officers did come out and blocked the front door. After a short time, they went back inside. Just minutes before the gathering Wednesday afternoon the family found out who was involved in the shooting.
According to Memphis Police those involved in the shooting turned off either their dash or body cameras at some point during their encounter with Banks.
Banks’s mother told WREG she recognized one of the officers’ from a previous encounter with her son. Protesters are now asking why MPA President Williams was at the scene the night of the shooting when it’s now been revealed that his son, also an officer, was involved.
Last week Williams said one of his family members was involved in the shooting and he would not be commenting on the investigation.
“They need to just resign right now. They know that they’re at fault. The mayor, nor Rallings, should hold them up in this, because it’s just going to grow, grow and grow. I want justice, and I want it all the way to Amy Weirich,” Janice said.
The group also announced a list of demands, saying they want an FBI investigation, videos related to the shooting released and community patrolling.
“We want sensitivity training and cultural sensitivity training. We need officers that look like us, talk like us and that are from our neighborhood to patrol those neighborhoods,” Rise Up Memphis spokesman Pastor Steven Bradley said.
They also want a meeting with the Mayor of Memphis and Memphis Police Director Mike Rallings.
Mayor Jim Strickland told WREG Wednesday he is open to dialogue.
“People are concerned that not all the cameras were operating. I’m concerned about it, and I know the director is. We’re very open to meeting and having a good dialogue,” Mayor Jim Strickland said.
We spoke with Mike Williams who said he cannot comment on the case and directed us to the Vice President of MPA. We left a message for her and so far have not heard back.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is now conducting its own independent investigation into the shooting.
Investigators say the shooting stemmed from a traffic stop.
They say officers pulled over the vehicle Banks was driving near Gill Avenue and Pillow Street. They asked for his ID and insurance information and the driver told them he had neither.
Police said he “began reaching downward when an officer advised that he saw a gun inside the vehicle.”
Banks then drove away and was stopped a second time when police say he got out of the car and ran. They say there was a confrontation and Banks was shot by police.
Police say they recovered a handgun at the scene. Witnesses say police shot into a home Banks ran into on Gill. Police did not confirm but bullet holes were visible in the home’s door and windows.
Banks has six outstanding warrants for suspended licenses, assault and violation of probation. None were for violent felonies.
It’s unclear if police knew Banks’ name before he drove away.
Tennessee law also allows people to have guns in their vehicles as long as they are not felons.
Small crowd chanting, "Justice for Martavious" has started walking to the Memphis Police Association headquarters @3onyourside pic.twitter.com/WTdjrzYZKI
— Shay Arthur (@ShayA_WREG3) September 26, 2018