The family of Malik Jackson held a candlelight vigil to honor his life last night. Jackson, age 21, was killed Wednesday after being stabbed. The person who stabbed him was later killed by a police officer. That person has been identified as Tony McDade. Malik’s aunt, Abigail Jackson, says Malik "had a great smile and positive attitude towards life." She says she's seen a lot of things said about the incident and wants people to take a step back.
“What I can say is... the way that people post on Facebook and convict people without knowing the situation, and wait and let the police or whoever do their investigations, things would be much better," Jackson said. "My family is not a family of violence.”
Jackson believes her nephew's death could have been prevented. She says she called police Tuesday night following a fight involving Malik, Tony McDade, and others, but that they didn’t help.
“I pleaded with the two officers that came to my sister’s house for help. I pleaded with them to do something, and I told them how serious the situation was," Jackson said.
Jackson says she warned police about a Facebook video that was put out by McDade prior to Malik’s death.
Jackson says she knows McDade’s mother, that the two have spoken and are both grieving the loss of their loved ones. After McDade stabbed and killed Malik Jackson, he was later shot and killed by law enforcement. In his last Facebook video, McDade said he wouldn't go back to prison, and suggested he would have a standoff with police.
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