Sunday, May 17, 2015

Robert Ethan Saylor


Robert Ethan Saylor
January 9, 1987, January 12, 2013

This post is in memory of Robert Ethan Saylor (goes by Ethan), a man with down-syndrome who was killed over a movie ticket. He went to the movie theater to see Zero Dark Thirty, and while his aid was going to get the car he stayed in the theater wanting to see the movie again. When asked by the assistant manager to leave and refusing, the assistant manager called 911. Three deputies came, put him on his stomach on the ground, and he died an hour later. I heard about this after the police brutality due to racism in Fredrick, Baltimore, New York, and other places. Why did I not hear about it sooner? I don't know, but I do know that this incident was not the first occurrence of police brutality to people with special needs, and as much as I hate to say it, this probably won't be the last incident. These incidents should have been more publicized, but now we have to look toward the future. Police brutality has to stop. I am posting this, though, because I want to remember Robert Ethan Saylor's life, not his death...
Ethan was born to Patti Richmond Saylor and Ron Saylor in Frederick, Maryland, and he has two siblings, Emma and Adam. He went to Spring Ridge Elementary, TJ Middle, and he graduated from The Benedictine School in Ridgely, Maryland. He loved learning about police, and music, especially Reggae. He was a member of the men's choir, at the Damascus Road Community Church, and he was well loved by the church community. He is lived on my his parents, siblings, extended family, and friends.