Early on a Saturday morning in June 2015, a passerby notices a silver BMW stopped at an off-ramp in Oakland, California. The car’s turn signal is on, and the motor is running, but it doesn’t move as the traffic light cycles. Through the tinted windows, the driver appears passed out in the front seat. So the bystander calls 911 to report a medical emergency.
Soon, armed police officers swarm the scene. If they are concerned the driver might need a doctor, another fear comes first: There’s a gun in the front seat. As the clock ticks, this fact prevents them from getting the man—who is Black—to an ambulance. Instead, they run their sirens in useless attempts to rouse him and put spike strips under his tires. “This is the Oakland Police Department,” a PA system blasts. “Get your hands up.” An hour passes. The driver remains unresponsive.
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