Meet CJ.

The tragic nature of my little brother’s death makes it hard for people to remember that CJ was just a kid. He had hopes and dreams and goals. He was human. He was real. He was my little brother. And he is very much missed today.

CJ could bring a smile to anyone’s face. He was a kind and caring person who often used his sense of humor to hide his own pain, while helping others make it through their days. It’s memories like these that make me want justice for my brother more than anything on earth.

He always had jokes. So many jokes! If you ask any one who knew him, they’d all say he was the funniest guy you’d ever met, promise.

CJ was also a masterful artist. He had an ability to play with words until they flowed like a hot knife through warm butter. He would freestyle at lunch and even in class. Everyone was always telling him that if anyone could make it big it was him.

He would spend hours in his room free styling, writing and recording using only his phone. He didn’t have a lot, but he knew that to reach the stars, there was no excuse. He knew he had to make do with what he had. Hard work and dedication will always remind me of who Cedric was.

Eventually, CJ got so good at creating music, a friend paid for his studio time. He was so excited to be on the road to making it big in California.

Unfortunately, CJ never made it to California. The emotional stress of losing several loved ones back to back caused my brother to break down and caused the incident that eventually led to his death. He was a child in pain, who needed protecting, but instead five fully-grown officers pinned CJ to the floor for 38 minutes, killing my one and only baby brother.

- Marquan Teetz

 Family photos provided by Marquan Teetz