Hundreds rally after the death of Kevin Matthew on Michigan Ave. on Monday, January 4. PHOTO: Ryan Garza, Detroit Free Press  DEARBORN — A string of protests following the death of 35-year-old Kevin Matthew, an unarmed African American man who was shot by a Dearborn police officer on December 23, has left residents divided.

Matthew, whose family says was diagnosed with schizophrenia, was killed by the still-unidentified officer during a confrontation that ended in a neighborhood on the west side of Detroit. He had allegedly committed larceny earlier that day and was being sought by the police.

Matthew also had a warrant out for his arrest in Redford Township, for a probation violation stemming from a drunk and disorderly conduct offense. 

Although never confirmed by the Dearborn Police Department, numerous reports alleged that Matthew attempted to snatch the officer’s gun during the altercation. He was shot multiple times and was pronounced dead at the scene. The officer’s uniform was muddy and ripped following the altercation. 

In cooperation with Dearborn police, the Detroit Police Department is conducting the investigation into the incident. The police officer was placed on immediate administrative leave, according to the city of Dearborn.

Both agencies have declined to verify whether audio or video evidence of the pursuit and altercation exist.  A Dearborn Police Department spokeswoman said their officers do wear on-body microphones and have patrol vehicles equipped with dashboard cameras.

Matthew’s family and local civil rights groups were outraged following the incident, demanding that a transparent investigation be conducted and later demanding that the Wayne Country Prosecutor’s Office charge the officer. 

Multiple protests took place in Dearborn over the last two weeks, spearheaded by the National Action Network and Black Lives Matter. Local African American civil rights leaders have drawn comparisons between Matthew’s death and other incidents that have made national headlines in the last two years, including the death of unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.  

On Monday, January 4, a large demonstration took place in front of the Dearborn Police Department on Michigan Ave., shutting down traffic in both directions. The Michigan Chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI), the Take on Hate campaign and the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee of Michigan (ADC-MI) Joined the two civil rights groups.

Braving the cold, hundreds of demonstrators held signs and chanted “no justice, no peace, no racist police” and “Black lives matters.” 

CAIR-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid told The Arab American News that Matthew’s family and the civil rights organizations are growing frustrated with the police department because no further information has been released about the incident since that fatal day.

“The Dearborn Police Department needs to be more transparent,” Walid said. “Not only do we not know the name of the shooter, but we don’t know anything related to his service record. Police officers are public servants and that shouldn’t be suppressed from the public.”

The civil rights groups are also calling for federal oversight into the investigation, fearing that the Detroit Police Department might be biased in its findings. 

 “There is a track record in America of police not properly investigating other police,” Walid said. “Police investigations overwhelmingly clear fellow police officers even when there is wrong-doing. If the Dearborn Police have nothing to hide, then they themselves should welcome a federal probe.” 

Communities divided

But despite the uproar following Matthew’s death, the majority of Dearborn’s residents have not participated in the protests.  In fact, many of them have expressed their support towards the Dearborn Police Department, believing the officer’s actions were justified because he was trying to protect himself.

A Facebook group called “Support for the Dearborn Police Department” has generated more than 1,300 likes in just a few days. The group aims to distribute lawn signs and blue ribbons to residents who are standing with the police department. 

Local resident Ahmed Amin said he generally supports the movement against police brutality, but in this circumstance he feels the officer’s actions were warranted. 

 “Protest is a beautiful right in the United States of America, it creates change when done the right way. I just don’t get what they’re protesting,” Amin said on Facebook. “An officer whose life was on the line with a mentally unstable man reaching for his weapon… use logic people, the officer has a life, too and a family; he has every right to defend himself.”

However, not all residents have been as objective as Amin in their stance to support the Dearborn Police Department.

In recent days, local Arab American and Muslim residents have left offensive and bigoted remarks on social media, targeting Detroit’s African American community, with some even referring to the protestors as “thugs” and “criminals.” 

Many residents expressed animosity towards the Black Lives Matter movement, claiming there should be protests for the hundreds of Arab American convenience store workers who have been killed at the hands of Detroit residents.

Walid said that he is disappointed that the Arab and Muslim communites have not rallied behind Matthew’s family, pointing out that it is an accurate depiction of the hyper segregation in metro Detroit. 

 “I would think that Dearborn residents would welcome scrutiny of this case,” Walid said. “There’s a fundamental problem related to how this case is being viewed. The people making this argument in Dearborn are not African Americans. There is a stereotype that people from Detroit happen to be more dangerous or are so-called thugs. It really colors what people’s perceptions are here, whether we like to admit it or not.” 

In addition, Dearborn residents grew even more frustrated after several protestors disrupted the Kroger at Michigan Ave. and Greenfield Road during the rally on January 4. 

Footage of the incident surfaced on social media, showing customers appearing off-put by protestors charging through the store chanting “Who shut sh*t down? We shut sh*t down.”

After a few minutes, the group of protestors were told they were disturbing the peace and were escorted out of the vicinity by Dearborn Police. One woman who was grocery shopping during the incident said that her toddler was frightened by the chaos. 

Walid condemned the actions of the protestors who went inside the Kroger, stating that they acted independently from Matthew’s family and the civil rights groups who called for a peaceful demonstration in Dearborn.

“I would caution people against painting all of the protestors on the actions of those people who went into Kroger, Walid said. “Those people who did that were a small number of people. They weren’t family members or the organizers of the event.”