‘Keep her name alive.’ Weekly gathering in Charlotte continues for Shanquella Robinson

For the third time in as many weeks, community activists will gather at the intersection of Beatties Ford Road and LaSalle Street to protest U.S. authorities’ decision not to pursue criminal charges in the death of Shanquella Robinson.

Robinson, a 25-year-old Charlotte native, died in October on a trip to Cabo, Mexico with six other people. The FBI and Mexican authorities opened investigations into her death after video footage showing her being beaten went viral.

Two weeks ago, the Department of Justice announced that the FBI investigation was complete and it did not find enough evidence to pursue federal criminal charges in her death.

At 4 p.m. Wednesday, community members, organized by Mario Black, founder of Million Youth March, will gather at the intersection with signs calling for the extradition of a suspect to Mexico.

The first time Black stood on the street corner, he did so with Robinson’s family the day that the FBI and Department of Justice announced it would not pursue federal charges in her case. The second time, he was joined by just under a dozen community members.

Now, he hopes more will gather at the intersection to show solidarity with the family.

“She was a part of our community and her life mattered.” Black said. “We all should be just as angry with this as we are when we have protests and when a white (police) officer kills a Black individual.”

Black says he hopes to continue it weekly.

“Join the fight to keep her name alive,” Black said. “I encourage everybody to use the #JusticeforShanquellaRobinson on social media. Let’s keep it trending, let’s keep it going.”

An arrest warrant has been issued for one suspect in Mexico but it remains unclear whether U.S. officials have received an official extradition request or plan to act on it.

U.S. authorities have not named this person.

Washington, D.C. for Shanquella Robinson

The Robinson family, their attorneys, and buses of Charlotteans will travel to D.C. on May 19 — the 200th day since Robinson’s death — to march and demand diplomatic intervention in her case.

The time and location of the march will be announced closer to the event date, Black said.

Those who wish to attend from Charlotte should email Black at: MYMOCS@Yahoo.com with their name and contact information.

In March, Crump, Attorney Robinson, and the Robinson family traveled to D.C. for a press conference where they called on the White House and State Department to intervene in her case.

“It is not right that the suspects and the people involved are sleeping comfortably in their own beds at night,” Crump said at the time. “The only question is State Department, President Biden, what are you going to do to bring justice for this broken hearted family, especially this mother of Shanquella Robinson?”

Kallie Cox

The Charlotte Observer

Kallie Cox covers public safety for The Charlotte Observer. They grew up in Springfield, Illinois and attended school at SIU Carbondale. They reported on police accountability and LGBTQ immigration barriers for the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. And, they previously worked at The Southern Illinoisan before moving to Charlotte. Support my work with a digital subscription