The city has released body-worn camera footage of the 2018 police killings of three Black men as part of a recently passed police reform bill, Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) announced at a Friday, July 31 situational update.
The videos involve the deaths of Marqueese Alston, D’Quan Young and Jeffrey Price and was expected to be available online later the same day.
The emergency policing legislation, which Bowser signed last week, requires DC police to release body-worn camera (BWC) footage and the names of officers in deadly-force cases by Aug. 15.
In response to criticism that DC officials should have released the footage two years ago, Bowser said the city “followed the law.” She added that this footage does not “tell the full story.”
“Based on how we thought justice would be served, we did not release the [videos],” she said. “We are releasing the [videos] today.”
COVID-19 Updates
On Wednesday, Bowser said Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) representatives should step up to encourage mask wearing and social distancing. Bowser said she is “happy to talk” with those commissioners who feel they are lacking city support.
Following up on her quarantine travel order, which stipulates that those traveling to and arriving from high-risk areas for non-essential travel quarantine in the District for 14 days, Bowser said residents should consider how their travel will affect others.
“No one should look at the quarantine order as a punishment,” Bowser said. “It is guidance from health officials to keep our city safe.”
As of July 30, 12,126 residents have tested positive for COVID-19 and 585 have died.
Access more COVID-19 data here.
Eva Herscowitz is a journalism student at Northwestern University currently interning with the Hill Rag. She writes for Northwestern’s student newspaper, The Daily Northwestern. You can reach her at eva@hillrag.com
