It’s been almost exactly one year since a local man was shot and killed by an undercover Ypsilanti police officer when a drug deal outside The Keg party store went bad. The details came out slowly over the following days. The man’s name, we’d learn, was David Antjuan Ware. He was unarmed at the time of the shooting. And he was shot in the back. After a brief investigation, the officer who killed Ware was cleared of any wrongdoing.
According to the investigation, the officer had reason to believe that Ware was armed as he had been seen flashing firearms in locally-produced rap videos. His lyrics also, according to police, showed him to have the potential for violence. Some in the community were outraged, but, to my knowledge, no significant coordinated protest was made. There were, however, several long, intense debates in the community and on this site. Like the blood in the snow, they eventually faded, though.
I’d like to think that work behind the scenes to heal the community continued, but I’m not sure that it did…. Which brings me to my question tonight… Did anything really change as a result of David Ware’s death? Were Lawnet policies concerning undercover drug buys changed at all? Were race relations addressed by city leaders in any substantive way? Did anyone find a way to use this tragic event to initiate dialogue between the different factions that co-exist in our city? I’d like to think that something positive came from David Ware’s unfortunate death.
13 Comments
I wrote a paper
other than that I’ve seen naught
It’s still the same day.
David was also the father of six.
He has an online memorial.
http://davidwarememorial.com/bio.shtml
After my adoptive brother John was wrestled to the ground (without any provocation) by one of Ypsi’s “finest” because he “looked” like someone they (the police) were interested in, I’d have to answer your race relation question, Mark, as a big fat……. No!
My sense is that Ypsi’s been lucky thus far when it comes to race relations. The Ware incident could have blown up, and it didn’t. We dodged a bullet, and you can bet another one is coming at some point in the future. We saw a glimpse of it in the wake of Laura Dickinson’s rape and murder, when racist messages began appearing around town. Maybe it’s not going to reach a critical mass. Maybe the lid will never blow off. I just think it’s incredibly shortsighted not to do something now. And maybe something is being done that I just don’t know about. I just don’t want us to waste this time of relative calm.
I don’t know if you check the posts below, but I would absolutely love some stickers! I think we might have printed them but even so, I can’t think of where to find any. Yes, I would take some pictures too!
LAWNET does not do buy-busts anymore. The night that David Ware was killed, the location of the buy-bust was changed numerous times.
During the Riverside Neighborhood Assocation meeting last year that focused on the shooting, many stories of racial intolerance were told that were years or decades old. It struck me that we have come a long way since those days. We still have a ways to go, but we are making steady progress. We must continue to be vigilant and fully investigate reported incidents of unfair treatment.
My sympathies go out to the Ware and Hamilton families who have suffered the most from this terrible tragedy.
Paul Schreiber
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7499442
http://pufone.org/blog/bill-cosbys-rant/
Me, one of my New Years resolutions was to track down that Washtenaw County group that teaches adults to read, and sign up.
As an instructor. In case there are questions about that.
It’s a shame what happened to David Ware.
crying,
He may have had 6 children, but at 20 years old, I sure as hell wouldn’t call him a father! Fathers protect, provide, love and teach their children. I don’t know any 20 year old who could be or is a “father” to 6 children!
The children are the one I feel for.
According to the bio on the memorial page, he was born in November 1977, so he wasn’t 20 when he died. He was closer to 30, ytown. Still, like you, I feel bad for the kids. I hope they find strong male role models.
I was a very good friend of David i dont think what he was doing was right but we all half to eat. My perspcetive on the shooting was just out of control i think lawnett was just out to get him in my mind.I am so sorry for all the babies and the family members who lost a good hearted man with alot of talent. RIP he will always be in my heart,
I am the mother of. DAVID’S OLDEST CHILD. David was an awsome father to his children and his memory will never be forgotten.
Is this Ware, also from Ypsi, related to David Ware?
“A similar incident occurred in the Ypsilanti area earlier this summer. Derrick Campbell, 47, and Michael Ware, 43, were accused of trying to hide the body of 21-year-old Mira Dressel in Ypsilanti Township after she overdosed on drugs at an Ypsilanti home. Ware was sentenced Wednesday to five years in prison for his part. Campbell is scheduled for a pretrial hearing on Oct. 29 at 1:30 p.m.”
http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2014/10/police_2_men_arrested_for_dump.html
I ran across this article in this weeks Metro Times
https://m.metrotimes.com/news-hits/archives/2018/08/08/headstone-brings-closure-for-family-of-unarmed-black-man-shot-by-ypsi-police
This is the USA nothing racist going on here.