‘I failed to protect my son’: Arkansas mother speaks out after officer allegedly puts gun to 23-year-old’s head over a plate of food

The Little Rock Police Department in Arkansas is facing intense public scrutiny after body camera footage surfaced showing an officer allegedly holding a gun to the head of a detained 23-year-old Black man. The incident, which began with a dispute at a gas station, has sparked community outrage and calls for the officer involved to be removed from the department.

Civil rights organizations have also become involved, with activists demanding answers from the department and calling for a closer examination of its use-of-force policies.

On Aug. 9, 23-year-old Gregory Williams stopped at the Valero gas station on South University Avenue in Little Rock, Arkansas. According to KTHV, Williams’ family said he had gone into the convenience store intending to buy a plate of hot food.

Community leaders wanted the officer fired

A dispute reportedly broke out inside the store, after which the clerk called emergency services and alleged that Williams had threatened to shoot him.

When officers arrived, Williams was quickly subdued. Newly released body camera footage appears to show that while Williams was already being held by several officers, Little Rock Police Department Officer Thomas Shook approached the group.

The footage allegedly shows Shook pressing the barrel of his service weapon against the back of Williams’ head.

The release of the video quickly prompted an angry response from members of the community. On Monday, Aug. 24, family members, community advocates and civil rights activists gathered outside the South University Avenue Valero to protest the officers’ handling of the incident.

Some local leaders described the footage as deeply disturbing and compared the encounter to other high-profile cases of police use of force in the United States.

Activist King Supreme said, “This guy put a gun to this man’s head about some food.” He then added, “We need him gone.”

Natalie James, a community spokesperson, said the footage brought back memories of the racial justice protests of 2020.

“It got me up the same way I got up in 2020 when I heard George Floyd call for his mom. For me to have that feeling again and to be triggered and to see this pattern go unsolved and undone and unfixed and no resolution is atrocious,” James said.

The incident has also taken an emotional toll on Williams’ family. His mother, Trovana Strickland, spoke about her heartbreak and her feelings of being unable to protect her son. She said the situation left her “angry and sad,” before breaking down in tears and adding, “I failed to protect my son.”

The local NAACP chapter and activists have rejected temporary disciplinary measures and are calling for Shook to be fired and decertified. They have also organized a boycott of the Valero station, with some protesters alleging that the clerk falsely reported that Williams had threatened him.

The gas station said they understood the concerns

According to KATV, Nick Chowdhury, a representative for the gas station, said the business was aware of the community’s concerns. Chowdhury said:

“The safety and well-being of our customers, employees, law enforcement, and the broader community are deeply important to us. We recognize that situations like this can be upsetting, and we understand why people may have questions.”

The Little Rock Police Department has since relieved Shook of duty while an internal investigation into the use of force takes place.