March 20, 2023
PATERSON –Today (Thursday), March 16 at 4 p.m., a coalition of social justice advocates (see below) will call for justice for the March 3 killing of Najee Seabrooks by officers of the Paterson Police Department.
Over 40 organizations have called on the U.S. Department of Justice to intervene and investigate, citing the widespread and pervasive pattern of unconstitutional, abusive and discriminatory police practices at PPD.
At today’s press conference, representatives from local and state organizations will address the need for accountability on the local, state and federal levels – as well as the need for robust non-law enforcement, non-violent response resources for incidents involving mental health and other crises.
In the midst of a mental health crisis, Mr. Seabrooks was shot and killed by police in his apartment. Police prevented Mr. Seabrooks’ onsite colleagues at the Paterson Healing Collective from intervening to help him, likely costing him his life.
“Najee Seabrooks and others like him needed and deserved mental health support, not a death sentence,” said the social justice advocates organizing the press conference.
WHAT: Paterson Healing Collective, Black Lives Matter Paterson, the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, People’s Organization for Progress, CAIR [spell out], Salvation and Social Justice and other advocates will call for accountability in Mr. Seabrooks’ death as well as transformation of our broken criminal justice system.
WHEN: Thursday, March 16, 4 p.m.
WHERE: In front of 200 Federal Plaza, Paterson