Stephon Gilmore took to social media Thursday morning to express his frustration over the shooting of Jacob Blake.
“I do not have the words to meet the depths of my frustration & sadness,” the New England Patriots cornerback wrote on Twitter. “But, I do know that the senseless killings & shootings of Black Americans by the police and vigilantes has to stop. These are human rights violations. My children deserve better. We all deserve better.”
Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, was shot seven times in the back by a police officer in Kenosha, Wis., this past weekend. This incident has elicited strong reactions from around the sports world, with players and coaches across several leagues speaking out against racial injustice and police brutality.
Gilmore’s remarks came one day after Patriots quarterback shared his reaction to Blake’s shooting.
“Needless to say, what’s going on in this country of ours at times is extremely disgusting,” Newton said in a video conference with reporters. “And until we find a fix, I think more than ever, we have to unify and become one as much as possible. From the Black Lives Matter campaign, from the social injustice, bringing awareness with that, and just everybody becoming more aware of certain things and not necessarily turning their ear or turning their face (away from) things that are extremely blatant.”
Gilmore also retweeted comments on police brutality from Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.
NBA players boycotted the three playoff games that were scheduled for Wednesday. James and the Lakers, along with the Los Angeles Clippers, reportedly voted Wednesday night to cancel the remainder of the postseason, though no final decision has been made.
