The family of a man killed in the Omaha police shooting is speaking out

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – The family of Steven Phipps – the man killed by Omaha police during a foot chase over the weekend – has spoken out.

Two members of the North Omaha church community sat and watched Wednesday’s OPD press conference, paying attention and taking notes. Your first reaction is best described as “disappointment.”

“Mayor Stothert says citizens are safe, obviously African-American black men are not safe in Omaha,” said Pastor Portia Cavitt, president of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance. “We know that people have a right to own guns. Why does the officer fear for his life when a black man has a gun?”

Rev. Juliet Hemphill of Bethel AME Church expressed the same sentiment.

“Why did they have to shoot him eight times?” said Rev. Hemphill. “I do not understand that.”

The two church leaders were later joined by other members of the North Omaha community, including the family of Steven Phipps.

“They know they harassed him and they know what they did,” said family member Jenesha Plunkett. “All we want is justice for him. You can’t keep walking around doing this to our boys. You are all holy. It doesn’t make any sense in the world. He doesn’t deserve it.”

The family says Steven was targeted by police and was afraid – a fear that others say is contagious in North Omaha.

“There is great sadness in our community, especially among black men who are fearing for their lives right now,” said Leo Louis, an Omaha resident. “We often talk about officers fearing for their lives, but we don’t talk about the fact that regular, average people are afraid of coming into contact with the police right now.”

“It is a shame that a mother and a family are grieving today,” said Pastor T. Michael Williams, president of the Omaha NAACP. “In my opinion it was unnecessary. In my opinion, the young man did not need to be shot.”

Many in the community have witnessed similar scenes over the years, just like the one that unfolded near 31st and Taylor Streets a few days ago when a Black man was shot and killed by police.

“Things just have to change because it seems that black lives have no value,” said Alvin McCruel of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance.

Cavitt says there is still much work to be done to repair relations between police and Omaha’s black community after two black men were killed by police within a month.

“We need to look at police procedures and their policies,” Cavitt said. “Yes, we have a gun problem, but that’s not the African-American community’s problem, that’s a national problem. But in Omaha we have a problem with police shootings.”

Cavitt says they are hosting a town hall meeting at Clair Memorial United Methodist Church on Sunday at 4 p.m. to give the community an opportunity to share their feelings and concerns about police shootings.

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