Call to Action For the Murrdered Antwon Rose

PITTSBURGH, PA – The NAACP Pennsylvania State Conference is appalled at the unnecessary and brutal death of Antwon Rose at the hands of law enforcement in East Pittsburgh, a borough near the city of Pittsburgh. Our hearts go out to his surviving family and friends, and we join their calls for justice. We are encouraged by the news that East Pittsburgh Police Officer Michael Rosfeld has been charged with criminal homicide, but we recognize this is just the first step in a long process to hold him fully accountable. Therefore, in accordance with our position about the independence of prosecutions in police shooting cases, we call for the Pennsylvania Attorney General to take over the case.

National, state, and local NAACP representatives met with Alleghany County and Pittsburgh officials yesterday to express our deep concerns about transparency, accountability, and public safety. We discussed the measures being put in place to ensure the protection of the constitutional right to peacefully protest without harm. We emphasized the need for consistent and open communications with the community.

In collaboration with the Urban League and other social justice organizations, the Pennsylvania NAACP is organizing a town hall meeting. The purpose is to ensure the community is heard and to call for effective measures to stop the unnecessary use of deadly force. These measures include independent review of police shootings, strong training requirements and hiring practices, transparency, and data collection.