Group marches to PPD headquarters, demands firing of officers in Tymar Crawford shooting

More than 50 people marched to the Pensacola Police Department headquarters Tuesday evening demanding the firing of the police officers involved in the shooting death of Tymar Crawford.

The protest march was organized by the Pensacola Dream Defenders group that has led at least two previous demonstrations calling for racial bias training for police officers and the firing of the officers involved in the shooting of Crawford.

"Justice looks like a safe community for each and every person who is standing here today," said Jamil Davis, one of the leaders of the Pensacola Dream Defenders, to the crowd outside the police department.

"No matter what color you are, no matter what gender you are and no matter who you are, justice looks like safety for each and every person in this place today. Tymar Crawford should've been safe enough to pull into his driveway, to greet his family and to go into his house with no types of problems whatsoever."

>>> Dream Defenders confront City Council:Supporters of Tymar Crawford call for end of newly created federal task force

>>> Previous protest:Rally over Pensacola Police shooting of black man turns to discussion

Crawford was killed July 5 after police said he led them on a slow speed chase to his home near the intersection of C and Brainerd streets. 

Police said Crawford was observed throwing narcotics out of his car window and when police attempted to arrest him, a struggle followed. According to police, Crawford disarmed an officer and a second officer then shot him.

Pensacola Dream Defenders posted the name of the police officer who fired the gun on social media last week after the group said it obtained the information through a public records request.

Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson said on Monday he was “disappointed” the group publicly named the officer before the conclusion of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation into the shooting.

Robinson said he still planned to meet with the group for the second time Friday. The mayor said he's still open to creating a civilian police committee, but he said Monday it would have to be an advisory committee, similar to one the police department previously had, rather than am "oversight" committee.

Once the FDLE investigation into the shooting is complete, the evidence will be turned over to the State Attorney’s Office, which will decide if the case warrants prosecution.

The doors to the Pensacola Police Department were closed for business when the protesters arrived just before 7 p.m. Tuesday, but the group made their message clear.

"I hate to say that we're in a war with other people that may live up the street from us or on the other side of Ninth Avenue from us, and y'all know what I mean when I say that," said Haley Morisette, a member of Dream Defenders and nominee for the District 5 City Council seat. “I hate to say we're in a war for that, but we are in a war for our humanity and to be recognized as such. We have to take and organize the power that we all know that we have within us every single day.”

Jim Little can be reached at jwlittle@pnj.com and 850-208-9827.