By Victoria Mejicanos AFRO Workers Author vmejicanos@afro.com
Dr. Linda Davis, a particular training trainer in Savannah, Ga., was killed after a Guatemalan immigrant was fleeing Immigration and Customs Enforcement brokers and crashed his car into hers the morning of Feb. 16.
In response to the Chatham County Police Division, Oscar Vasquez-Lopez, the motive force of the automotive that hit Davis, has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder, reckless driving, driving with no legitimate license and failure to obey a site visitors management system.
ICE officers tried to apprehend Vasquez-Lopez throughout a site visitors cease, the company mentioned in a press launch. Vasquez-Lopez initially complied with brokers however then fled the scene, “making a reckless U-turn and working a purple mild, colliding right into a civilian car.”
In response to ICE, Vasquez-Lopez was issued a remaining order of elimination by a federal decide in 2024. He entered the U.S. illegally at an unknown date and placement.
Homeland Safety Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin criticized politicians and media who she mentioned encourages individuals to withstand arrest.
“These harmful techniques are placing individuals’s lives in danger,” mentioned McLaughlin in a press release. “Fleeing from and resisting federal regulation enforcement will not be solely a criminal offense however terribly harmful and places oneself, our officers and harmless civilians in danger. Now, an harmless bystander has misplaced their life.”
Alonna McMullen, the principal of Hesse Ok-8 Faculty the place Davis labored, confirmed her demise in a press release and described Davis as “a beloved member of our faculty household.”
A number of native politicians have additionally expressed condolences following Davis’ demise, whereas some questioned ICE enforcement practices surrounding the incident.
State Sen. Derek Mallow, a Democrat representing Savannah, criticized ICE enforcement practices, arguing the company is untrained to deal with routine site visitors stops and pursuits.
“Turning somebody’s demise right into a political soccer helps nobody,” Mallow is cited as saying by native ABC affiliate WJCL. “It doesn’t heal households. It doesn’t make our streets safer. And it doesn’t honor the life that was taken.”
He continued, “We are able to maintain people accountable for crimes and nonetheless lead with compassion. We are able to have trustworthy conversations about public security and immigration coverage with out spreading concern or blaming complete communities. If we’re critical about security, then we have to be critical about stopping tragedies like this from occurring once more.
