RIDGELAND (Washington Insider Magazine) – Attorneys representing a Black delivery driver are pushing for a federal hate crimes investigation into the attempted killing of the driver in Mississippi, claiming it’s again another example of Black Americans being targeted for doing their jobs.
D’Monterrio Gibson, a 24-year-old FedEx driver, was not hurt in the incident on Jan. 24. Carlos Moore, one of his attorneys, stated on Thursday that he feels the police inquiry is not being taken seriously. Two white males have been charged, but Moore believes the charges should be upgraded to attempted murder.
Gibson had done nothing illegal, according to Moore, until two white males tried to stop him, one of whom was armed.
On Thursday, a Justice Department official acknowledged to The Associated Press that the department had received a request to investigate the issue and would study it before taking any further action.
When he dropped off a box at a property in south Mississippi, Gibson claimed he was dressed in a FedEx uniform and driving an unmarked van that FedEx had hired. He stated he spotted a white pickup vehicle pulling away from another property on the same big lot as he was leaving.
As he exited the driveway, he claimed the truck driver attempted to cut him off. Gibson swerved past him and then came face to face with a second man who was waving a rifle at the van and motioning for him to come to a halt. According to Gibson, the guy shot as he drove away, causing damage to the vehicle and the things inside. He claimed the white truck pursued him all the way to the interstate at Brookhaven before giving up.
Gregory Charles Case, 58, and his son Brandon Case, 35, both of Brookhaven, were detained and released on February 1st. The older Case was the alleged pickup driver, according to local news agencies, while Brandon Case was the guy on the street. Conspiracy charges have been filed against Gregory Charles Case. According to ABC NEWS, Brandon Case has been charged with aggravated assault.
Gibson said on Thursday that he is seeking mental health therapy and has taken an unpaid leave of absence from his work.
Although no one was hurt, the chase and gunshots in Brookhaven, some 55 miles (90 kilometers) south of the state capital, Jackson, generated racist accusations on social media. The city’s Black police chief has been asked to resign by the local NAACP leader, but the chief says he has no plans to do so.
Another of Gibson’s attorneys, James A. Bryant II of Los Angeles, said Thursday that Gibson feels agony knowing that others have tried to hurt him because he is Black.
Image via The Associated Press