The family of a DeKalb County man who was shot and killed by police say they’re deeply disappointed and devastated with DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston’s decision not to criminally charge the officers involved.
“On April 12, 2021, nobody had to die that day, nobody, and the decision that she made I was shocked, I just, I was just, I still can’t believe it,” said Chris Ann Lewis, the mother of Matthew Zadok Williams.
Authorities claim that DeKalb police officers shot Williams after he lunged at them with a knife. But the Williams family says the 35-year-old was having a mental episode.
On Wednesday’s edition of “Closer Look,” Lewis, Williams’ sisters Hahnah and Zeporah Williams and the family’s attorney Mawuli Davis talked with program host Rose Scott about why they feel DeKalb police and officials acted negligently and without any regard for accountability.
“Disabled persons who have a mental health crisis and have mental health issues have rights, and those rights should be protected and it should not be a situation where we’re, just ‘oh, we’re going to ignore the fact that he had a mental health issue and keep repeating the same thing drop it, drop it,’” said Davis.
