Florida Mayor Confronted By Family Of Boy Who Died In Attempted Traffic Stop Crash
The parents of Stanley “SJ” Davis III are urging city officials to hold police accountable after the 13-year-old crashed his dirt bike during an attempted traffic stop.
“We are here for justice for all,” Shannon Thompson, his mother, said during a city commission meeting in Boynton Beach, Florida, on Tuesday (January 4), according to ABC News. “We would like some accountability.”
SJ died on December 26 after his dirt bike crashed while he was being pursued by a Boynton Beach police officer.
Stanly Davis Jr., SJ’s father, pleaded with city council members to put themselves in his shoes, saying, “I don’t want you guys to do more than what you feel is right. That’s all I ask.”
He added: “[It’s] tearing me apart to know that in his final moments [SJ] was alone, he was afraid.”
The Boynton Beach Police Department said the "preliminary investigation indicates that the dirt bike operator was observed driving recklessly on Boynton Beach Boulevard. Officers attempted a traffic stop, and the dirt bike went down in the 800 block of North Federal Highway."
Attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the family, told ABC News in a statement that SJ got the dirt bike as a Christmas gift and his death has been “an absolute nightmare” for the family and the community.
Florida law states that a dirt bike is considered an “off-highway vehicle” and the operator must be at least 16 years old.
“There never should have been a high-speed pursuit and it never should have resulted in the death of a child,” Crump said. “The Boynton Beach Police Department’s own policy is that pursuits should only be initiated if the officer reasonably believes the person fleeing has committed a felony. We’re talking about a child.”
SJ’s cousin, Shamarie Davis, directly addressed Boynton Beach Mayor Steven Grant during Tuesday's meeting by recalling the time he promised her to do his “best” for the community when she met him while he was a mayoral candidate.
“I need you to look me in my eye one more time and I need you to tell me you’re going to do the best that you can do,” she said. “As long as I'm the mayor, I will do the best that I can to make sure there's justice for SJ.”
Grant faced criticism last week after saying the city and law enforcement were “responsible” for Davis’ death. He later responded, saying his comments were taken out of context and the investigation is ongoing.
When asked if the officer involved in the pursuit violated the law regarding vehicular pursuits, a BBPD spokesperson told ABC News, "The investigation into this crash is ongoing."
The department said it cannot release the officer’s name due to his right to Marsy’s Law, which states “every victim is entitled to the right to be free from intimidation, harassment and abuse,” a BBPD spokesperson told the news station.
