ETHIOPIAN COMMUNITY IN ATLANTA URGES FULL INVESTIGATION OF YOUTH FATALLY SHOT BY COBB COUNTY POLICE

The Ethiopian Community Association in Atlanta is urging a complete investigation into the death of Surafel Assaminew, a 30-year-old Electrical Engineering student who was slated to graduate from Southern Polytechnic in December 2003. Assaminew was fatally shot by two Cobb County police officers on September 16, 2003 at approximately 10:30 AM, a few blocks away from his Marietta home.

Contact:Fasil Cherenet
The Ethiopian Community Association
2791 Clairmont Road, Suite 125
Atlanta, GA 30329
Phone:404-325-5675   
On the Web:www.surafel.com

The Ethiopian Community Association in Atlanta is urging a complete investigation into the death of Surafel Assaminew, a 30-year-old Electrical Engineering student who was slated to graduate from Southern Polytechnic in December 2003. Assaminew was fatally shot by two Cobb County police officers on September 16, 2003 at approximately 10:30 AM, a few blocks away from his Marietta home.

As law abiding citizens, we are deeply grateful for the protection provided us by our law enforcers," said Mr. Fasil Cherinet, community leader. They risk their lives to serve and protect us. But we are very disturbed by the excessive force used on this young man. It was broad daylight and he was only carrying a block of wood. It makes no sense." Assaminews neighbors who witnessed an altercation between he and his roommate had summoned police to the scene. Assaminew was shot five times. All five shots were administered to his upper body: one to his head, two to his heart and two to his side.

Over 5,000 concerned citizens from the nation and all over the world have endorsed a petition requesting a complete investigation into this matter by the Cobb County District Attorney and other high-ranking Georgia officials. The Ethiopian Community Association will be sending these signatures as well as letters of support from different civic groups and civil rights organizations to these high-ranking Cobb County and Georgia officials. The community is organizing a peaceful rally at the Capitol on Monday, November 17 from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM. The family plans to present Governor Perdue the petition at the rally.

Assaminew, the son of a famous Ethiopian journalist, was also a poet, a writer and a musician. Even though he suffered from Bipolar Disease, he was determined to finish his studies in Electrical Engineering. In a recent interview with a popular on-line magazine, abesha.com, Assaminew was asked what he would change about the world. He said, Suffering. There is too much suffering going on in this world. People suffer for all kinds of reasons. Some of it [makes] no sense."

He was the light of his mothers life," said Mr. Abebe Kebede, spokesman for the family. But now that Surafel has been so violently killed at the hands of police officers, his mother's dreams for his life have died with him."
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