“If my son was getting pulled over with the frequency with which I got pulled over as a teenager I would be pulling my hair out because I know how easily encounters go wrong.”

Dontre Hamilton… Jay Anderson… Sylville Smith… The names of black men who have been killed at the hands of law enforcement add up. In August 2016, 23-year old Sylville Smith was shot by District 7 Officer Dominique Heaggan. Officer Lawson Murrell was long-interested in improving the relationship between the police and the black community. He’s now the District 7 Community Liaison Officer. And at the memorial for Sylville Smith on 44th and Auer, he’s facing the first major test of his new role. And as a black police officer, he’s stuck in an especially tough position.

The memorial for Sylville Smith on 44th and Auer has been the site of community tension since his death in August.

Aisha Turner | Precious Lives