What happened to Tarika Wilson?

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On January 4, 2008, in Lima, Ohio, Sergeant Joseph Chavalia shot blindly into a room where unarmed 26-year-old Tarika Wilson was presumably hiding behind a closed door with her six children, including her one-year-old son Sincere Wilson. Tarika was killed immediately, and Sincere had a finger amputated after being shot in the shoulder and hand. Tarika was not even the target of the raid — rather, the officers had a warrant for Anthony Terry, her boyfriend. 

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During the raid, one of Chavalia's fellow officers shot and killed two dogs that belonged to Terry. Chavalia testified that when his fellow officers shot the dogs, he mistakenly presumed that hostile gunfire was coming from the Wilson's bedroom. Chavalia then shot blindly in the direction of the bedroom, without first attempting to identify the Wilson and her six children. 

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A jury in Lima ruled that Chavalia didn't show a "substantial lapse of due care" and acquitted him of misdemeanor charges of negligent homicide and negligent assault. 

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All eight members of the jury that acquitted Chavalia were white.  

 

What can we do? 

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1. Share her story and say her name