Stephon Clark's family creates healing center in Sacramento for at-risk kids, grieving mothers
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Three years after Stephon Clark was shot and killed by Sacramento police, his family is honoring his life by opening a community center in his name.
Clark was shot multiple times when officers reportedly mistook the 22-year old's cell phone for a gun.
On Thursday, his family opened "Stephon's House," on the anniversary of his death.
The center is aimed at supporting at-risk children and offers a reading room, a recording studio, and healing space for grieving mothers.
"People protest all day long but what are we doing?" Clark's brother, Stevante Clark said. "How are we teaching our young people how to fish? How are we building them? How are we feeding them?"
His mother, Sequette Clark, added: "Every week, every Monday, we have a healing session where mothers are able to learn, grow and heal together."
Neither of the officers involved in Clark's death faced charges.
But the case inspired new California legislation regarding the excessive use of force by police.
AB 392 was authored by Democratic Assemblywoman Shirley Weber of San Diego, and it changed California's former lethal force standards to require that deadly force may only be used when "necessary." Existing law had been that police could shoot when they believed it was "reasonable."
Proponents had argued the law will encourage police to try de-escalation techniques such as verbal persuasion and other crisis intervention methods.
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