Muhammad Muhaymin’s Family Marks Four Years Since Killing by Phoenix Police Without Accountability

January 4th Marked with Tributes, Actions and Care Package Drive for Homeless People and Pets

PHOENIX, AZ — Today on Monday, January 4, the Muhaymin family and advocates from national and Phoenix-based organizations will mark four years since Phoenix police brutally killed Muhammad Muhaymin—an unarmed, Black, Muslim, disabled man—while mocking his faith. To date, none of the officers involved in this killing have faced any criminal or disciplinary consequences; all are still actively policing in Phoenix. 

Muhaymin was killed by Phoenix police in 2017 after attempting to bring his service dog into a public restroom. In August of 2020, new body camera footage was made public showing officers using their knees to pin Muhaymin’s head, neck and body into an asphalt parking lot. Before he is killed, Muhaymin can be heard yelling “I can’t breathe” and “Please Allah,” with an officer responding “Allah? He’s not going to help you right now.”

Muhammad’s sister Zarinah Tavares and advocates will deliver national and Phoenix-area tributes to her brother while urging the public to join efforts to hold the officers accountable for this killing and for all victims of similar violence. The day will be marked with:

• A video tribute to Muhammad narrated by Ms. Tavares alongside national advocates Rep. André Carson, Muslim Advocates, the National Disability Rights Network and Phoenix-area advocates from Poder in Action, Black Lives Matter Phoenix Metro and the Black Mother’s Forum. Click here to watch the video.
• Tribute radio ads narrated by Ms. Tavares running all day on Phoenix radio station Power 98.3 KKFR. Click here to listen to the ad.

• An action urging the public to contribute to a living tribute card to Muhammad designed by Black Muslim artist Amir Khadar. Click here to sign the card.
• A care package drive for homeless people and pets in the metro Phoenix-area. Click here to learn more.

In the video, Tavares shares details about her brother, saying “he was a proud man who loved to dance, to take his daughter on walks in the park, and beatbox with me and my sisters. He always made us laugh. Muhammad was stolen from us by Phoenix police officers who brutally killed him, just for using the restroom.” She ends the video with a call to action “The system keeps pretending like we don’t matter. But we do.”