T-Boz Calls For Justice After Her Mentally Ill Cousin Was Gunned Down By Police
Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins is using her platform to call attention to an important issue that recently struck close to home.
T-Boz's cousin Eddie Russell Jr. was gunned down by police last week in Peoria, Illinois. According to local station Peoria Public Radio, Russell was followed home after police identified him a suspect in an armed robbery that occurred at First Mid-Illinois Bank and Trust. Although Russell's mother alerted police that her son suffered from mental illness, he was shot 18 times while exiting the home. The six officers who fired the shots claimed he “aggressively advanced” towards them, but T-Boz and the rest of the family feel the story doesn't quite add up.
In a lengthy Instagram post, T-Boz calls out Peoria Police Department and their alleged mishandling of the situation, stating the officers clearly used excessive force on a man they knew had mental health issues. She also claims the police lied and said her cousin had been rushed to the hospital, knowing he already died at the scene.
A post shared by T-Boz (@therealtboz) on
She then took the conversation over to Twitter, where she continued to encourage her followers to spread this story so that her family could obtain justice.
The Peoria Journal confirmed that the six police officers involved in the shooting were placed on administrative leave immediately following the shooting, and the Illinois State Police is handling the investigation into the incident.
In this VH1 digital original video, people of all races answer questions about racial profiling, their interactions with police and the Black Lives Matter movement.