Killing of Marcus-David Peters

In 2018, Marcus-David Peters was a 24-year-old Black man and Virginia Commonwealth University alumnus who taught high school biology at Essex High School, commuting from his home in Richmond, Virginia. On May 14, 2018, during a mental health crisis, Peters fled a car accident in Richmond, who then pursued Peters. Peter got up and advanced towards Nyantakyi, shouting, "Back the fuck up. Put that taser down, and I'll kill you." In an encounter that lasted 18 seconds, Nyantakyi tasered Peters several times with no effect. == Law enforcement review ==

Two reviews by local prosecutors cleared Nyantakyi of wrongdoing and no charges were brought. In 2018, Richmond's Commonwealth's Attorney Michael N. Herring reviewed the case, releasing footage of the fatal encounter, and declined to bring charges. In November 2020, she announced her findings, concurring with Herring that Nyantakyi's actions were reasonable. == Marcus-David Peters Circle ==

During the 2020 anti-racist police brutality protests, protesters in Richmond unofficially renamed the grassy area around Richmond's Robert E. Lee statue "Marcus-David Peters Circle". It became a regular site of protest and community gathering, with protest graffiti and messages projected in lights on the Lee statue; images of the protest art were featured on the cover of National Geographic. The area marked with a sign reading "Welcome to Beautiful Marcus-David Peters Circle, Liberated by the People MMXX". The eight-foot-long sign was cut down in an apparent act of vandalism in August, but was soon replaced and gatherings continued, including a celebration of Peters's birthday in October that drew hundreds. Organizers handed out plants and STEM technology kits to children in attendance in honor of Peter's work and as a symbol of commitment to the growth of the community. On the weekend before the 2020 United States presidential election, a "Trump train" caravan of supporters of President Donald Trump resulted in an altercation with people in the circle, with witnesses reporting gunfire and chemical spray from the vehicles in the caravan. == Marcus-David Peters Act ==

In the 2020 Virginia special legislative session on criminal justice reform and budgeting during the COVID-19 pandemic, House Bill 5043, titled the Mental health awareness response and community understanding services (Marcus) alert system, introduced by Delegate Jeff Bourne, initiated a program to encourage use of mental health professionals to respond to people in mental health crisis. Peters's sister, Princess Blanding, worked with legislators and attended Governor Ralph Northam's ceremonial bill signing, but in her remarks at the ceremony she excoriated officials for the final bill that was considerably less robust than the initial proposal:"Please take a moment to pat yourselves on the back for doing exactly what this racist, corrupt, and broken, may I also add, system expected you all to do: make the Marcus Alert bill a watered down, ineffective bill that will continue to ensure that having a mental health crisis results in a death sentence."She particularly took issue with the discretion left to police, the years the bill allowed to implement the changes, and the potential for a patchwork system instead of a unified change across the state. == See also ==