Several carloads of Milwaukeeans headed to Chicago on Saturday – to amplify the story of Dontre Hamilton.
He’s the black man a white Milwaukee police officer killed in April, following a confrontation at Red Arrow Park. Hamilton suffered from a mental illness. Last week, the DA ruled that the officer acted in self-defense.
Janelle Neubauer, vicar at All People's Church on 2nd and Clarke in Milwaukee, helped plan Saturday’s visit to Chicago.
"With what the family’s been going through, to receive support from other places has been a real step forward for them to know that, not only is Milwaukee listening, but we have other people, other communities that are recognizing the need to support the Hamilton family,” Neubauer said.
In Chicago, supporters of the Hamilton family are meeting with members of Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow PUSH coalition. All are calling for a federal investigation. The local U.S. Attorney has said he will determine whether Milwaukee police violated anyone’s civil rights.
Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn fired officer Christopher Manney for not following protocol, leading to the fatal shooting.