The first time Elijah McClain’s family gathered at the Aurora Municipal Center to protest his Aug. 24 violent takedown by Aurora police officers, no more than a dozen people joined them. McClain’s name remained largely unknown outside the small circle of people who knew him or read local news stories about police tackling him, putting him in a chokehold and pinning him while paramedics injected a heavy dose of the sedative Ketamine.
Then, George Floyd died in late May at the hands of Minneapolis police officers, setting off massive nationwide protests over police brutality. By the end of the first week, McClain’s name was being shouted by protesters as another example of police violence, and his death became the focus of national news stories.
The Denver Post’s journalists have covered McClain’s story from the beginning. In fact, reporter Elise Schmelzer was the first to report paramedic’s use of Ketamine on McClain and other people involved in conflicts with police.
For the one-year anniversary of his death, the Post’s breaking news team wanted to go deeper than slogans shouted at rallies and ask those who are deeply connected to McClain and Aurora how the death impacted them and what the police department must do to bring justice and improve relations with the Black community. Their stories are insightful and powerful.
Sincerely,
Noelle Phillips, breaking news editor
“We have so much work to do”: One year later, how Elijah McClain’s death impacted his friends and catalyzed a movement
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