Mothers of the Movement in Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, NC – “Our loved ones don’t have a voice so we have to be their voice,” said mother Maria Hamilton.

Maria Hamilton is one of the mothers of the movement traveling the country bringing attention to gun violence and police brutality. Hamilton says her 31 year old son Dontre had mental illness. He was unarmed when an officer shot and killed him in a Wisconsin park in 2014.

“Started beating Dantre with his baton, hit him eight times in the upper part of his body Dontre took the baton from him and he emptied his gun in my child,” said Hamilton.

Hamilton came to Charlotte and saw people demanding change during the unrest after the officer involved shooting of Keith Scott. Police Chief Kerr Putney told City Council Thursday that CMPD is making changes but needs the community to work with them.

“Comply communicate so we can de escalate, comply communicate so we can de escalate,” said Chief Kerr Putney.

Councilwoman LaWana Mayfield joined the mothers and says she believes Putney’s efforts are a first step. She points to a standoff in East Charlotte Thursday night. Police de-escalated it by talking two women into surrendering without violence.

“This was a chance where you saw it play out in action where they were able to de escalate,” said Mayfield.

Mayfield says this needs to be the norm not the exception.

” I think we need to get back to what true community policing is about it should not be an automatic default to use your weapon,” said Mayfield.

Hamilton says fighting for change is a way to bring justice she feels her son never got.

“I’ll never stop fighting,” said Hamilton.