The recent shootings of Laquan McDonald and Alton Sterling shine light on the tension in the United States. In order for the nation to recover from this deadly violence, it needs officers and people of all races to come together.

Laquan McDonald was carrying a knife when police were called to the scene. Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke supposedly saw McDonald coming toward him with his knife. However, dashcam video later proved otherwise. McDonald was shot 16 times within 13 seconds. He later died and Van Dyke was charged with first degree murder. This would not be the only unethical decision made by police.

Alton Sterling was selling CDs outside of a convenience store in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, when an anonymous caller believed that Sterling was waving a gun. However, he was a carrying a gun to protect himself from robbers. It led to an altercation between Sterling and the Baton Rouge Police. Sterling ended up getting tased and shot six times by police. He died from gunshot wounds on his chest and back. Bystanders captured video of the incident, which led to dissension between police and the community. These two shootings bring many reactions.

“It makes my heart sad that people forget to look in God’s image,” said religion teacher Mrs. Ann Perez. “We need to spread the message of peace and mercy as much as possible.”

Ideas for resolutions are much needed to stop the deadly violence.

“While there is no way to truly determine whether police brutality is motivated by racism, both parties’ actions and words likely provide the most insight into the issue’s roots,” said junior Will Sheriff. “Personally, I think mandatory body cameras for officers across the country would be an effective way to determine who’s at fault since both officers and civilians would act more civilly during confrontations, knowing that their actions are being recorded.”

The actions on how to improve the current status of violence against African Americans is up for debate across the country, as police brutality continues to happen.