When asked why he’d killed her, store clerk Abdelhakim Choubabi said he was tired of her stealing – plus, she “smelled bad.” To him, this justified stabbing her to death! Her name was Odessa Easterlin.
Odessa, like too many Black Americans, was homeless. Black people represent 13% of America’s population, yet make up more than 40% of its homeless community.
White supremacy claims we’re “lazy.” In reality, strategic tactics like the legacy of enslavement, segregation, discrimination, and mass incarceration have ensured generations of Black people couldn’t access equitable resources, employment, and/or affordable housing.
Choubabi had struggled with schizophrenia for years. He’d been in and out of hospitals, including the day before the killing, but did not receive the help he needed. Believing police couldn’t resolve the situation, Choubabi stabbed Odessa to death.
America spends $180 billion annually on police and incarceration. While experts debate on the costs to end homelessness, recent data estimated it’d only take around $30 billion annually.
Mental health care is also MUCH cheaper than incarceration. And of course, you can’t put a price on someone’s life.
Police don’t keep communities safe, resources do. If America defunded police and instead put funding towards resources like housing and health care, we’d see improvements in Black communities across America – and more people like Odessa would still be alive.