Justin Timberlake took to Instagram share how “heartbroken” he is after learning that Rayshard Brooks, the 27-year-old father of three, was killed at the hands of police in Atlanta.
“As a dad, this photo hurts. #RayshardBrooks was a father of three girls…1, 2, and 8 years old. He should not be dead,” Justin wrote along with a photo of Rayshard in the hospital after the birth of one of his daughters.
Timberlake also pointed to three others who’ve been the victims of “racism, violence and intolerance,” name-checking Riah Milton, Dominique Fells – black trans women who were killed – and Robert Fuller, who was found hanging from a tree in a park in California. “And we’re still waiting for Justice for #BreonnaTaylor,” he wrote of the EMS tech whose killing at the hand of Louisville police serving a “no-knock” warrant in March has spurred national outrage.
“The system needs to change… it has repeatedly shown us that Black people in America are not safe,” Justin continued. “I’ll follow up with more resources and ways to help. Continue to SAY THEIR NAMES. #BlackLivesMatter.”
Bruno Mars also weighed in on Brooks’ death, which came after Brooks was found sleeping in his car while blocking the Wendy’s drive-thru. He was killed after resisting arrest and wrestled away one of the responding officers’ taser, at which point he was shot in the back. “They could’ve easily called someone to take him home and protect his life instead of shooting him in the back like some chumps. I’m sick,” Mars wrote.
