NEPA DSA
Omar Jermaine Reddit
Statement

Subject: Omar Jermaine Reddit Statement

Date: October 10th, 2024

On Sunday, October 6th, 2024, Mr. Omar Jermaine Redditt was murdered via multiple gunshot wounds inflicted by two Wilkes Barre police officers at his home residence on Holland Street.

NEPA DSA condemns in the strongest of terms the actions that led to Mr. Redditt losing his life. What began as a stop to collect his version of events in a domestic violence incident ended with his death. The individual circumstances are unimportant as there is no justification for the escalation resulting in Omar’s death. As abolitionists, it is our deeply held conviction that it is not the state’s place to condemn citizens to death, regardless of their actions.

This is why we repeat the adage “f*ck the police.” Let us reiterate that this is not an attack on individual people. Your family or neighbors that happen to be cops may be “good people,” but in the context of their jobs, they uphold the interests of the ruling class. The nicest officer you know would still punish an unhoused person for sleeping on a park bench when they have nowhere else to go. It is not that there are some bad apples, it is that the barrel is rotten and puts otherwise ‘good’ people in bad situations.

Cops are a tool of the state and the ruling class to enforce the status quo by issuing fines for laws that target the poor. This gives them the license to murder for something as simple as jumping a subway turnstile. The Wilkes Barre police has allotted more money for uniforms than for training according to a recent public safety budget report. They patrol and punish our communities with their endless funding while our neighbors and communities go hungry and are evicted from their homes. The Wilkes Barre police are allotted almost 30% of the city’s budget alone to pay for machine guns and helicopters. Imagine what that money could do allotted to feeding, housing, and supporting our neighbors. 

There are systemic and economic changes that must occur. Different situations require different tools. A hammer (or a gun for that matter) cannot be used for all projects. Sometimes pliers or a screwdriver are needed for a job. We would not request the paramedics first for a house fire. This is what we envision for emergency response. Militant police should not be responding to situations that require nuance, understanding, and patience.

Rest in power, Omar. You did not deserve this. None of us would deserve this. May your memory be a call to action.