Hundreds mourn teen artist tasered to death by Miami cop

(RT) An emotionally-charged rally has been held at the site where 18-year-old Miami graffiti artist Israel Hernandez-Llach was shot with a Taser gun, dying shortly after.

Hundreds of friends, supporters and relatives of the teenager gathered at the spot where the teenager was spray-painting a shuttered McDonald’s restaurant before being chased by police – an incident that resulted in his death shortly after being tasered by the officers after refusing to stop running.

Around 400 people were present at the Saturday rally in Hernandez-Llach’s honor, many of them booing and whistling at police officers standing nearby. They shouted “Whose streets? Our streets!”

The victim’s father, Israel Hernandez-Bandera spoke to Reuters, calling Israel’s death an “act of barbarism” and an “assassination of a young artist and a photographer.”

Hernandez-Llach’s female friend and former classmate, Lucy Rynka, had touching words to say about him: “he was a genius… He showed me how powerful art can be, how you can use color and design to relay a powerful message.”

Another person present at the scene – Vivian Azalia, also 18 – spoke with tears in her eyes.
“The only thing I want everyone to remember is his goal was to have his art around the world… I know he’d be happy with the support that’s come from around the world and from the graffiti community,” she said.

Hernandez-Llach was not unknown – his works could be seen in some of Miami’s art galleries.

Raymond Martinez, chief of the Miami Beach Police, claims that Hernandez-Llach would not stop running after police caught him spray-painting private property and ordered him to stop.



Read full article here.