Silke Jasso
Edward “Skeeda” Crawford, an activist and protestor featured in an iconic photo of the riots in Ferguson, Missouri has died.
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Crawford’s photo was taken by the St. Louis Post Dispatch and included in materials that later won them a Pulitzer Prize. In the photo, Crawford is seen throwing a tear gas canister after it had been shot near his general direction. Police have determined that the 27 year old died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, but cannot determine if it was a suicide or an accident.
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Missouri State Senator Maria Chappelle Nadal remembered Crawford’s impact on his community.
“Edward Crawford is dead. Found in his car shot to death. He is #Ferguson‘s hero. For those of us tear-gassed, he was our local champion. RIP,” she wrote on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/MariaChappelleN/status/860467497589510144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mediaite.com%2Fonline%2Fsubject-of-iconic-ferguson-protest-photo-found-dead%2F
Robert Cohen of the St. Louis Post Dispatch remembered Crawford’s aid during a dangerous protest.
“Will never forget Ed ‘Skeeda’ Crawford coming to my aid in #Ferguson after getting pepper sprayed after the anniv of #MikeBrown‘s death,” he wrote.
Will never forget Ed 'Skeeda' Crawford coming to my aid in #Ferguson after getting pepper sprayed after the anniv of #MikeBrown's death.
— Robert Cohen (@kodacohen) May 5, 2017
Crawford maintained that he wasn’t tying to harm the police, and threw the canister a few feet so it didn’t harm nearby children.
“I didn’t throw a burning can back at police,” Crawford said. “I threw it out of the way of children.” He said he didn’t see where it landed or if it hit anyone. He estimated the closest police were 30 to 40 yards away and said, “I can’t even throw a baseball that far, let alone a burning can of tear gas.”
Edward Crawford aka Skeeda was found in his car shot to death. This is one of the many #Ferguson leaders who have been found this same way. pic.twitter.com/YntTwZuIG4
— Hands Up United (@handsupunited_) May 5, 2017
