Daily Kos writer Shaun King took an in-depth look at the shooting of Monroe Bird, who was paralyzed earlier this year when he was shot by a neighborhood security guard. While Bird’s case has not received the same level of national attention as the tragic deaths of Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice, Mike Brown, Akai Gurley, Eric Garner, or Freddie Gray King seeks to bring attention to the disturbing elements to this case.
“On February 4, sitting in his own car in his own neighborhood, talking to a female passenger, Monroe Bird was shot in the neck by a security guard, Ricky Stone, a 52-year-old white man. The bullet pierced the C3 vertebrae in his neck. Standing 6 feet, 8 inches, Bird, a gifted athlete, is now unable to move his arms or legs and relies on a ventilator to breathe.”
Stone was never charged with shooting Bird. In fact, even though he possessed marijuana he was not charged for possession.
The family in pursuit of justice is being represented by Benjamin Crump. The prominent civil rights attorney last year represented the family of Michael Brown Jr., in Ferguson, Missouri; he worked for the family of 12-year-old Tamir Rice killed in Cleveland last year and Trayvon Martin killed by George Zimmerman three years ago.
Adding insult to injury, the family’s insurance company is denying their claim for benefits, reportedly because they are accepting the District Attorney’s assertion that Bird is responsible for the situation. He is headed home instead of a rehab facility. The family will have to bear his care 24/7 as the insurance company is refusing to cover home nursing care.
For background information on this shooting case, visit our earlier post on April 8.
For the full story, read King’s analysis here.
The family recently launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover the mounting medical expenses. More details available here.
