Family and community members press Rock Island leaders for transparency after fatal police shooting

Family members and community advocates used the council’s public comment period to demand transparency and accountability following the fatal shooting of Jakarta Jackson by a Rock Island police officer.

Wasasia Jackson identified herself as a Rock Island resident and said she was speaking about “the negligence of an investigation” into the killing and a perceived lack of transparency from the Rock Island Police Department, the state’s attorney and the task force assigned to the case. Multiple family members recounted that children were present in the vehicle at the time; one speaker said Jakarta’s 3‑year‑old daughter and a 6‑year‑old nephew were in the car.

Tierra Cave said she is Jakarta’s sister and urged the city to pursue justice. Terray McDowell, who identified himself as speaking for the community, criticized police and prosecutor statements and said the footage and the narrative released so far raise questions about use of force. He told the council that, based on what he saw in released video, the officer repeatedly shouted threats as the driver moved away, and he asked whether a warrant could reasonably carry a death sentence.

Several speakers questioned the process the city and county used to investigate the shooting, calling the task force structure — where detectives from other agencies investigate local officers — insufficiently transparent. John Duvijunk and others who spoke later emphasized they were in the chamber for two different reasons (public safety and environmental concerns) but expressed sympathy; Karen Unsicker, who said she had been Jakarta’s client in high school, urged better training for officers and said the family’s account did not match the narrative released in parts by authorities.

Eanesa Martin, who identified herself as the mother of Jakarta Jackson’s daughter, described the impact on the child: “My daughter every day she says she wants her dad. She see what happened to her father… She has to live with that for her whole life.”

One council member responded during the meeting that some matters are now with lawyers and court processes and that officials were limited in what they could say publicly. The same council member offered a card and invited further communication, and encouraged residents to remain engaged with council processes.

No formal council action, statement or vote regarding the shooting was taken at this meeting; the comments were part of the public comment period and the council did not announce an independent review or policy change during the session.