Toronto-based rapper Drake has weighed in on the deadly shooting of Alton Sterling by police in Baton Rouge, La.
READ MORE: Alton Sterling shooting: new footage shows deceased empty handed after being shot
Sterling, a black man, was killed after police confronted him outside a convenience store Tuesday. Cellphone video of the incident shows two white officers appearing to tackle and shoot Sterling after receiving an anonymous tip which said he had threatened someone with a gun.
The event has caused protests, vigils and rallies across the U.S. and prompted the U.S. Justice department to open a civil rights investigation into the shooting.
In the wake of the shooting, Drake is calling for an open conversation between police and people of colour to help change the pattern.
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Protesters march through downtown Philadelphia over Alton Sterling shooting -
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People paying their respects light candles, release balloons in honour of Alton Sterling -
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Outcry over police shooting of Alton Sterling -
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Convenience store owner says he was shocked and horrified to witness his friend Alton Sterling shot dead by police -
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Protest erupts in Baton Rouge after police officer fatally shoots Alton Sterling -
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Mayors across US reaching out to Baton Rouge
“It’s impossible to ignore that the relationship between black and brown communities and law enforcement remains as strained as it was decades ago,” he writes in the open letter on his Instagram.
“No one begins their life as a hashtag, yet the trend of being reduced to one continues.”
“This is real and I’m concerned, concerned for the safety of my family, my friends and any human being that could fall victim to this pattern. I do not know the answer, but I believe things can change for the better. Open and honest dialogue is the first step,” the letter continues.
READ MORE: Alton Sterling’s 15-year-old son weeps during his mother’s emotional speech
He ends the letter with the simple phrase: “More life.”
Drake isn’t the only celebrity outraged by the killing. He joined a growing list of public figures condemning the killing which includes Grey’s Anatomy star Jesse Williams, who recently made headlines for a charged speech about police in America he delivered at the BET awards.
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