The statement in full:
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What started in uptown Charlotte as a demonstration against another incident of police violence — Keith Lamont Scott died when Charlotte officer Brentley Vinson shot him by mistake earlier this week — went bad; police tear-gassed crowds, and individuals broke windows, threw bottles and set fires. A state of emergency was declared in the city.
Jordan’s statement isn’t a surprise; in July, he donated $2 million to organizations trying to improve police-community relations, and the Hornets’ arena is located squarely in the affected neighborhood. It’s the most you can expect from him.
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Beyond that, though, it’s the sort of NBA/team-sanctioned proactivity and positivity that we’ve come to know. The afternoon before the chaos in Charlotte, commissioner Adam Silver and union executive director Michele Roberts sent a letter to players pledging to work together to find a way to take “meaningful action” in NBA cities in the wake of the unrest over police shootings
Is it an inherent solution? No — but it’s better than nothing. Other leagues (and pro teams in Charlotte) could learn something.
