I write this with a heavy heart, one that is tired and weary of hearing stories like this. Yesterday, 17-year-old Michael Brown was shot 10 times by an officer from the Ferguson Police Department in Missouri. Michael, who was set to start college on Monday, was unarmed when he was gunned down in his grandmother’s neighborhood. And to make matters worse, police left his dead body uncovered for 4 hours, for his loved ones to see. An image that will undoubtedly be burned in their minds.

The community was understandably outraged, and made their voices heard. But how did the police respond? By bringing in K9 units and riot gear. A statement wasn’t made until late last night, hours after the shooting occurred. The officer who shot Michael was placed on paid administrative leave as the department does their “investigation”. So once again, authorities are essentially being paid to execute our youth.

Protestors gathered shouting things like “no justice, no peace”, “please don’t shoot us”, and “we want answers”. Others held signs saying “disarm the police” and “stop police terrorism”. Some people in the crowd took a more blunt approach, with signs saying “fuck the police”.

Michael’s mother, Lesley Mcspadden, responded: “They’re doing too much! You don’t do a dog like that. You didn’t have to shoot him 8 times. If he was doing something to you, and you was trying to stop him, where do the police shoot you? In the leg. You just shot all through my baby’s body!”

Michael’s stepfather, Louis Head, held up this sign:

What the hell is going on in Ferguson?! pic.twitter.com/S5Yjnns6bU

— Tammie Holland (@TammieHolland) August 9, 2014

Michael’s grandmother, Desuira Harris, said, “When I got up there, my grandson was lying on the pavement. I asked the police what happened. They didn’t tell me nothing.”

Details are still coming in regarding what happened that led to Michael’s death, and how the black community at large are responding to it. Social media is playing a huge role in getting this story out there, because the national media is slow to pick up on these things, and even slower to report the facts. We rely on the citizens, the people who are on the ground where it’s happening, to report what they’re seeing, what they’re hearing, and the questions that aren’t being asked by big media at large.

UI, how can we stop this from happening? How can we protect our sons and daughters, from those who are supposed to protect and serve us? How many more young black men have to die at the hands of some power hungry monster who didn’t deem his life worthy of living? My heart is heavy, and I’m infuriated. Is this not 2014?