I’ve been asked a lot in the past few weeks about how Homicide Watch D.C. is covering the DC9 case. The answer, for now, is that we’re not.
The controversy is over the death of 27-year old Ali Ahmed Mohammed, who, by some accounts, died after being beaten outside the DC9 nightclub. I say “by some accounts” because we’re being really careful here; the medical examiner has not ruled yet on the cause of Mohammed’s death and it is not (at this time) being prosecuted as a homicide. Which is why Mohammed is not currently listed as a victim on this site.
But I came across this post today on an Ethiopian community website that made me rethink Homicide Watch’s decision to not publish anything until we know more.
As the writer points out, it has been two months since Mohammed died and no matter what police and medical examiners find, his death is being felt in the community as a homicide.
[W]e have allowed the brutal and unjust killing of our innocent citizens to slide by without any accountability; we have failed to be the voices of the voiceless. We came a long way, too far away from our land seeking justice, seeking equal treatment, and most of all to exercise our God given right- to speak and express ourselves without fear. We need to make our lives purposeful, what better way is there to give our voice to the voiceless.
We need to pressure our “community Leaders” to live up to their obligations. We need our community leaders to organize us and show us the way to stand for ourselves so we can let the world know that no one will get away by killing our brothers and sisters and our children. It is time that we pursue what we have started; we need to renew our call for justice for Ali and for Hailu. We need to demand truthful untainted and direct answer.
We’re still waiting for answers here at Homicide Watch and will wait for the medical examiner’s report. But recognizing the pain that Mohammed’s death has caused seems just as equally important right now as waiting.
