Hundreds of members of the Paterson, New Jersey, community came together on March 7 to express outrage at a vigil for Najee Seabrooks, Yahoo! News reports. Seabrooks was shot and killed by Paterson police earlier this month during a “mental health crisis.” Seabrooks, 31, was a father to a little girl and worked as a violence intervention activist to keep at-risk youth in the community safe.
Below is an old clip of Seabrooks promoting a holiday toy drive in the neighborhood.
Najee Seabrooks was a known anti violence activist who called 911 while expediting a mental health crisis.
Paterson Police arrived & killed him
We need all footage to be released Click the link to send an automatic email to the AG office #justice4najee https://t.co/2hPE3LIsL1 pic.twitter.com/gwnnVhaXaj
— zellie (@zellieimani) March 9, 2023
The activist was a part of the Paterson Healing Collective, a hospital-based violence intervention program. A partnership with St. Joseph’s University Medical Center, the Paterson Healing Collective provides support and intervention for survivors of violence.
According to the PHC website, Seabrooks was a previous survivor of violence and his goal was “to help restore the communities in Paterson, New Jersey, with guidance, mentoring and more community outings.”
Yahoo reported approximately 300 community members and constituents from anti-violence groups around New Jersey marched from the PHC headquarters to city hall in freezing temperatures demanding justice for Seabrooks.
Rally for Najee Seabrooks goes from offices of Paterson Healing Collective to City Hall. Seabrooks, 31, worked with the group to reduce violence in these neighborhoods. pic.twitter.com/EYLr9hTgVk
— Nick Meidanis (@NickMeidanis) March 8, 2023
The rally also included an emotional call-and-response chanting Seabrooks’ name.
“He did everything he could to serve his people,” said Terrance Drakeford, Seabrooks’s best friend, according to Yahoo!
An emotional rally is happening in Paterson tonight following the death of Najee Seabrooks, 31. He was shot by police while in mental health crisis Friday. @News12NJ pic.twitter.com/DscY24nSA8
— Nick Meidanis (@NickMeidanis) March 7, 2023
While members of Seabrooks’ family asked for the officers’ body camera footage, members of the Paterson community asked city officials to review the policies, practices and actions of the police department. The activists are also demanding the city creates a civilian crisis-assistance team made of social workers and intervention specialists to handle cases of people having mental health crises, according to Paterson Press.
“No amount of diversity, de-escalation training, or increased use of surveillance technology will end the endemic problem of violence and corruption in the Paterson police department,” Zellie Thomas, Paterson BLM leader, said in a statement, reported by the Press. “A complete restructuring of the Paterson Police Department along with fully funded community safety teams is long overdue in Paterson.”
The shooting reportedly happened on March 3 when Seabrooks barricaded himself inside his apartment for more than four hours until he allowed police officers in. Police shot him once they entered his home, and police officers have said Seabrooks moved toward the cops holding knives. During the standoff, Seabrooks contacted members of PHC asking for help “before everyone tries to kill me,” according to NJ.com. His collegues were unable to get to Seabrooks’ side and be there for him because police wouldn’t let them. Police said a family member was a part of the de-escalation efforts during the four-hour standoff. The officers said they chose not to tase Seabrooks because of the water on his apartment floor. Sources told the Press Seabrooks had broken some water pipes and started a small fire in his apartment during the standoff.
