Killer Mike is “Mad as Hell” and “Saddened Beyond Consolation” Over Rayshard Brooks’ Killing

The Atlanta rapper put out a call to grassroots organizers and activists “who are doing the work, day in and day out.”

Killer Mike has voiced his anger and hurt over the death of Rayshard Brooks, a 27-year-old black man who was shot and killed by a white police officer in Atlanta on Friday night.

In a passionate and exasperated Instagram post published this morning, the Run The Jewels rapper spoke out against the senseless shooting. “Rayshard Brooks should be alive this morning. He should be waking up (hungover or drunk in the tank depending on whether he was apprehended) and not dead.” He goes on to imagine the scenario and its impact from the vantage of multiple bystanders. “If I’m the Wendy’s worker who called the police, I feel like shit this morning because a call for a man sleeping in a car should not have ended with his killing. If I’m the people with the child in the car, I feel helpless and hurt. If I’m that child, I’m scared shitless of anyone with a uniform and a gun,” the rapper writes in a lengthy statement.

He caps the post with a pledge to continue to seek out and support grassroots organizations “who are doing the work, day in and day out,” asking followers to tag groups who are on the ground and advocating for pro structural social justice reforms.

For their part, the Atlanta Police Department has responded to the incident with the swift firing of the officer involved in the shooting and the reassignment of his partner. APD chief, Erika Shields, resigned last night after serving just two years at the position. She will be replaced by Rodney Bryant, a deputy who is currently serving as the head of Atlanta’s jails.

Read Killer Mike’s full statement below.