Justice For Jakarta
We need to talk about Jakarta Jackson. What happened on January 5, 2025, in Rock Island cannot simply be brushed aside, ignored, or placed behind us. The video released by the Rock Island Police Department shows Officer Brett Taylor pursuing Jackson, then violently smashing open the window of a moving car. Some argue this was justified that the car was in motion; that Taylor had a duty to apprehend a suspect. But this framing oversimplifies a deeply complex situation.
Jackson was 21 years old, unarmed, and inside the car with his young daughter and other passengers. The escalation that followed was not about neutralizing danger; it was about creating it. Taylor’s decision to break out the window was not a defensive act; it was a provocation. Threatening Jackson while children were present was not policing; it was intimidation.
Authorities later ruled the shooting justified. Rock Island County State’s Attorney Dora Villarreal stated that Taylor’s use of deadly force was “reasonable given the totality of the circumstances,” and Taylor was returned to duty in February. Yet Jackson’s family has filed a civil lawsuit, arguing that the officer was never threatened, that his language was abusive, and that his actions escalated the encounter unnecessarily. Their complaint highlights what many in the community already know: encounters with police too often end in injury or death for Black residents, even when no threat exists.
As someone who has served in the Marines and studied psychology, I know that human decision-making under extreme stress is never simple. The Fight, Flight, or Freeze framework explains how soldiers and Marines often face impossible choices in wartime. Police officers are trained to understand this dynamic. They know that no person is in a calm, rational state of mind when being pursued, interrogated, or threatened, especially when the threat escalates to smashing open a car window while children are inside.
Every life is precious. I believe in the inherent goodness of people, and I acknowledge that being a police officer is one of the most difficult professions imaginable. Officers put themselves in danger daily, and many tragically lose their lives in the line of duty. But this truth cannot excuse what happened here. Jackson was not a lethal threat to Officer Taylor. Taylor knew this. His actions were escalated after escalation, constructing a narrative of probable cause and plausible justification for lethal force.
This was not a necessity; it was a choice. And that choice ended a young man’s life, traumatized his family, and deepened mistrust in the community. To ignore this incident is to condone it. To place it behind us is to invite its repetition.
If we truly believe in the sanctity of life, in the dignity of every person, and in the responsibility of law enforcement to protect rather than provoke, then we must confront what happened to Jakarta Jackson. His death was not inevitable; it was the foreseeable consequence of escalation. That is why this cannot be dismissed. That is why we must talk about it, and keep talking about it, until accountability and change are no longer optional, but inevitable.
Sources:
News Coverage & Official Statements
KWQC-TV6 (Quad Cities NBC affiliate) – Coverage of the incident, video release, and family lawsuit
WQAD News 8 (Quad Cities ABC affiliate) – Reporting on the shooting, officer Brett Taylor’s actions, and the state’s attorney ruling
WQAD: Rock Island officer cleared in Jakarta Jackson shooting
Quad-City Times – In-depth reporting on the lawsuit, community response, and broader context of policing in Rock Island
Quad-City Times: Lawsuit filed in Jakarta Jackson case
Legal & Community Response
Civil Lawsuit Filing – Jackson’s family alleges excessive force and escalation by Officer Taylor.
Details via KWQC lawsuit coverage
State’s Attorney Statement – Dora Villarreal ruled the shooting justified, citing “reasonable use of force.”
Psychology & Military Decision-Making (for context in your argument)
UMass Lowell Research – Fight, Flight, or Freeze: Psychologist Studies Military Decisions
