Lindani Myeni, a Black South African man, living in Honolulu, Hawaii, was gunned down by police mere months after relocating to the island. He allegedly entered a home and took off his shoes, prompting the owner to call the police. Officers later claimed that Myeni ignored their commands and attacked an officer. But new footage released by Myeni’s family lawyers allegedly shows that the 29-year-old man left the home after noticing the confused and frightened owners and repeatedly apologized to them before Honolulu police arrived, ABC News reported.
His family’s lawsuit suggests that he likely mistook the home for a similar-looking temple nearby, offering more insight into the April 14 incident, ABC News reported.
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Myeni’s family lawyers released the doorbell camera footage to the public, showing that Myeni removed his shoes before entering the Honolulu home, apologizing, and promptly left after noticing the residents. Police later claimed that Myeni grew violent, attacked an officer during the encounter and left one with a concussion, the Associated Press reported.
His wife, Lindsay Myeni, who is white, originally urged her husband to move their family from Denver, Colorado, to Hawaii, hoping to avoid racism and establish a safe place to raise their biracial children. According to ABC News, she also grew up in Hawaii and thought the island’s diversity would allow for less racial discrimination when compared with the U.S.
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She filed a wrongful death lawsuit following her husband’s death, claiming that the involved Honolulu officers were “motivated by racial discrimination towards people of Mr. Myeni’s African descent,” the Associated Press reported.
His family lawsuit claimed that officers shined bright lights on his face after arriving and that he possibly didn’t know whether or not they were police. It also alleged that Myeni likely mistook the home for a similar-looking temple located next door, which is open to the public.
