Eastern Iowa family trying to raise awareness of loved one’s death

CEDAR RAPIDS - An Eastern Iowa family is trying to rally local support after they say one of their loved ones was “senselessly” killed last month.

Rekia Boyd, 22, was shot by an off-duty police officer around 1 a.m. on March 21 on the west side of Chicago. According to the initial police report, the Chicago police detective said he was investigating a disturbance when a man approached him with a handgun. The detective said the man pointed the weapon at him, so he pulled his own weapon and fired. Boyd was shot in the head, and the man who the detective claimed was holding the weapon was shot in the hand. Boyd died the next day.

Boyd's family members, several of whom live in Cedar Rapids, dispute the detective's account. They say witnesses reported there was no gun and no reason for the officer to fire. The family on Thursday filed a lawsuit against the detective and the City of Chicago.

An outside agency is now investigating the shooting, and neither they nor the Chicago Police Department would comment on the case when contacted March 29.

On Saturday, several of Boyd's family members and other members of the community stood outside the African American Museum of Iowa in Cedar Rapids trying to raise awareness of the case.

“I know several of the family members here in Cedar Rapids and it's a tragedy for her to have died so young and senselessly,” said Cedar Rapids resident Michael Barnhart. “She was minding her own business and got shot and killed.”

Those gathered outside the museum along 12th Avenue SW stood in the steady rain Saturday holding posters with photos of Rekia Boyd and messages about her death, hoping to catch the attention of those passing by.

“We want to make sure that even from Cedar Rapids, because there is such a connection back to Chicago, that we really make our voice be heard,” said Rod Dolley, who serves as pastor at Oakhill Jackson Community Church. “We want to make sure that there is equality and fairness and that we can depend upon law enforcement to really enforce the law and us not to be afraid of them.”

Family members said Rekia Boyd was supposed to be in Cedar Rapids when the shooting occurred, but a car accident had delayed her trip.

Matthias Boyd, one of Rekia Boyd's brothers, said he hoped publicizing Rekia's story would help prevent future losses for other families.

“I think it will bring awareness, not only in Cedar Rapids, but every city and state that we possibly can to try and get some type of justice,” he said.

For more on the family's efforts, click

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