BRENTWOOD, Pa. — It may have happened 25 years ago, but many in the Pittsburgh community still remember what happened to Jonny Gammage as if it was yesterday.
“That was the first incident of its kind that broke through into the mainly white press,” said Bishop Dorsey McConnell of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh.
In Oct. 1995, Gammage was pulled over by a Brentwood police officer while driving a Jaguar, owned by his cousin former Steeler Ray Seals.
The police officer claimed Gammage was going under the speed limit and called for back up.
Four other officers rushed to the scene where they tried to arrest Gammage and held him down.
“Seven minutes later, he was dead at the hands of police,” McConnell said.
A medical examiner ultimately ruled that the 31-year old had died of asphyxiation.
Now two decades after the death that sparked national outrage, Gammage still has not received justice.
“It’s frightening to think the African American male is still not free,” said Rev. Canon Eric McIntosh of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh.
On Sunday, All Saint’s Day, local religious leaders including priests from the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh and pastors of several historic Black churches walked to the site where Gammage lost his life and prayed.
“It’s a reminder, that this is a still very real occurrence in our community, in our city, in our country, to this day,” McIntosh said.
The names of nearly 40 others who died in what the group calls unjust ways were also acknowledged.
The group also prayed for mercy, justice, healing and peace -- especially as we head into Election Day.
“Hope that we will be creating a society in which all of us genuinely have equal opportunities and know and love one another the way we are called to,” McConnell said.
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