NEW HAVEN - Family and friends of 19-year-old Mubarak Soulemane, who was shot dead by State Police, following a police pursuit last Wednesday in West Haven, say it should not have ended the way it did.
At the First Calvary Baptist Church in New Haven Monday, a celebration of the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and a memorial, of sorts, for the local college student.
"I am here today because I lost a son," said Omo Klusum Mohammed, the mother of Mubarak Soulemane, who was shot to death by CT State Police Trooper Brian North Wednesday beneath the Campbell Ave. overpass in West Haven following a pursuit as a result of Soulemane allegedly carjacking a ride share driver at knife point outside of a Norwalk AT&T store.
"I’m somewhat speechless about what took place, how it took place, the commands that they gave this young man, knowing that he could not get out of the car," said Rev. Dr. Boise Kimber, of First Calvary Baptist.
Trooper Joshua Jackson, first out of his vehicle after the pursuit ended, screamed, "Get out of the car! Get out of the car!"
However, Soulemane could not get out of the stolen vehicle because a State Police cruiser pinned the driver door shut.
Police say they saw him raise a weapon, which they realized, after the shooting, was a knife.
"Knives don’t lunge through closed windows," said Rakiya Adams, a cousin of Soulemane, who was a second year student at Gateway Community College.
The family, local clergy and the ACLU are demanding the investigation be turned over to the U.S. Attorney's office. For now, the New London State's Attorney and State Police Central District Major Crimes are investigating the fatal shooting.
"My son is not a criminal," said Omo Klusum Mohammed. "And I want to thank the community for all their support."
"What I’m asking is was the deadly force action taken by this nervous police officer the way to go," queried Adams.
Local pastor's say they are scheduled to meet Tuesday morning, at 8 AM, with State Police Commissioner James Rovella.
Tuesday at 4 p.m., a protest will be held on the steps of New Haven City Hall. Organizers are calling for Trooper North to be indicted and fired.
In a press release, about the protest, organizer Kira Ortoleva, a friend of Mubarak Soulemane wrote, "Once body camera footage was released, we witnessed an officer saying, very vividly, “N*gger. Your ethnicity does not define who you are as a person, and we ask the citizens of Connecticut to stand with us in solidarity for justice."
The problem with that statement, according to State Police, is it is not true. They say Trooper Jackson can be heard, 41:54 into the tape, saying "f***ing mirror is f***ed up now," in reference to his cruiser having just been sideswiped by the stolen car driven by Soulemane.
"We are 100% certain, the word “mirror” was used and not a racial slur," the State Police statement says.