Ann Arbor, MI – November 7, 2024 – The community is invited to gather in downtown Ann Arbor at Liberty Plaza on Saturday, November 9, 2024, at 7:00 PM for a vigil honoring the life and memory of Aura Rain Rosser.
Early on November 10, 2014, Rosser was tragically murdered in her home by Ann Arbor Police Department officer David Ried, within seconds of his arrival. Following a cursory investigation by the Michigan State Police–in which the officers involved were never interviewed–the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office exonerated Ried, who was soon promoted to sergeant. Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor described the police homicide of Rosser as “a tragedy of mental illness untreated,” a harmful narrative that failed to recognize the racist violence of policing in the city and the need for change.
Rosser was an artist, daughter, sister, and mother of three. Shae Ward, Rosser’s sister, described her grief: “Even after 10 years, I’m still not able to formulate nor articulate my feelings about her murder and my loss. She was my entire life and the state destroyed my life when they executed her. We grew up as state wards, that’s how we met and the state promised to care for us, the state taught us to respect and reverence their authority and we did. So for her to be murdered by an agency she respected is devastating. I don’t know what to say.”
Lifelong Ann Arbor activist, Shirley Beckley, reflected on this anniversary, “Why would Officer Ried shoot Aura in the heart after they had already tased her and put her down on the floor? This was a brutal killing that has been ignored for ten years!”
Over the past decade, the community’s minimum demands–an apology from the city, compensation for funeral costs, and for Ried to be fired–have been ignored. Further, the city rejected opportunities to build and fund non-police crisis response infrastructure that meets crisis with care instead of violence. After a sustained community campaign, the city eventually implemented an Independent Community Police Oversight Commission (ICPOC), but has faced criticism for restricting the commission’s independence and access to information about complaints against police.
The vigil will be an opportunity for the community to come together in remembrance, honoring Aura’s life and legacy. Attendees will gather to pay their respects and reflect on the lasting impact of her death and the continued fight for justice and dignity for all residents of the Ann Arbor community.
For further comment, please contact Shirley Beckley at 734-971-1680 (cell) or beckley-s@sbcglobal.net (email). Along with community and family members, the event is coordinated by: Michigan Abolition and Prisoner Solidarity (X: @Mich_Abolition); UM Safety Not Cops (IG: @safetynotcops); GEO Abolition Caucus (geo3550.org)
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