'Their lives were intertwined with ours': Artist wants us to see the lives of Black men killed by police
Bold black signs with white writing are appearing outside of homes, schools and businesses in the Minneapolis area. They are a graphic memorial — remembrances left to mark the places touched by Black men who were killed by police.
One sign reads, “Terrance Franklin Lived Here,” marking the northeast Minneapolis lot where Franklin once lived. In 2013, police fatally shot the man in a Minneapolis basement following a chase and alleged altercation.
“I want people to say these people’s names and know that they lived full lives in our community,” said Witt Siasoco, the Twin Cities artist behind the signs. “They aren’t just one-dimensional newspaper articles; they’re actually people who had very complex lives and they were intertwined with ours.”
He said he hopes the signs also push continued conversations about police reform and finding new public safety models.
His signs also mark the school where Daunte Wright went and a restaurant where George Floyd worked.
Wright was fatally shot by former Brooklyn Center police officer Kimberly Potter, who said she mistook her gun for her Taser as Wright appeared to be trying to evade arrest on April 11. Floyd died under the knee of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in 2020. A jury found Chauvin guilty of murder and manslaughter in the killing. Three other officers involved in the killing await trial.
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