Written by Tanya Terry, with photos by Tanya Terry
Three gatherings were recently held locally to honor the life of and demand justice for Rayvon Shahid, the 17-year-old boy who was shot and killed by Michigan State Police in early November.
Black Lives Matter-Flint held protests Thursday, November 21, outside the Michigan State Police Flint Post and on Friday, November 22, outside Flint City Hall. On Saturday, November 23, at a candle vigil, a large bundle of blue and white balloons were released. The vigil was held at the corner of MLK and Pasadena Avenue in Flint, near where Shahid was shot just before his life ended.
Shahid was shot and killed by Michigan State Police troopers at approximately 6:30 p.m. on November 2.
According to police, Shahid had a gun and ran away after troopers ordered him to drop the gun more than seven times before shooting.
Betty Deloach lost her son at the end of October in 2023 after he went into cardiac arrest at age 48. So, she said she truly sympathizes with Wontoshia Johnson, Shahid’s mother.
“She’s my sister’s child, but they all grew up in the house together – my six kids and her,” Deloach shared. “Mama was in the house with me, too, at a certain time. We’re all close, and she’s like a daughter to me. I’ll do anything for her. My heart breaks because her heart is breaking.”
Deloach said she was “happy people came out for the protests.”
“But we need to let more people know what has happened in this city,” she added. “I don’t know everything, and I’m just trying to get all the facts. I’m trying to see why he left home, walking, came back walking. What happened? There was no 911 call saying he was a threat to anyone. So, why did they stop him? Why did they shoot him so many times? I just don’t know. Wontoshia just wants answers. She wants to know what happened to her baby.”
Police said since Shahid did not stop running after being tased, he was shot. He was allegedly shot six times in the back and one time in the back of the head. Michigan State Police also said found a loaded Glock handgun with an extended ammunition magazine at the scene of the shooting.
Yolanderia Gentry said she does not believe Shahid had a gun despite what police have been stating. She pointed out that this is not the only time an incident like this has happened in the city of Flint.
“Over 40 years ago, there was a young man by the name of Billy Taylor, and he was just 15 years old,” Gentry said. “He was my classmate. The police shot him. He was running – so they said – and they shot him the back of the head with a 12-gauge shotgun. At those times, there was so many people that packed City Hall, there were like 600 people – opposed to now…”
Black Lives Matter- Flint and others involved in the protests are currently asking for the release of the officers’ names who were involved in the shooting, release of the body cam footage, a fair and impartial independent investigation, the firing and arrest of the officers and ending of the Michigan State Police contract within the city.
Before the Black Lives Matter protests took place, Michigan State Police announced the investigation into Shahid’s shooing death had been sent to the Michigan Attorney General for review. The AG’s office is to be responsible for determining whether charges will be brought against the troopers involved in the shooting.
Shahid’s family is working with Attorney Arnold Reed, who represents former Flint Fire Chief Raymond Barton whose lawsuit states he was wrongfully terminated. At the protests, Reed encouraged protesters to contact the AG’s office directly and offered Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s personal contact information.
