Credit: Original reporting by Joe Walker (@joewalkr, The Independent)
Atlanta rapper B Green, born Linton Blackwell, was shot and killed on October 11th outside Five Paces Inn in Buckhead. The autopsy revealed a chilling truth: he was shot 17 times in the back by off-duty police officer Gerald Walker, who was working security at the bar.
Police claim Walker was responding to reports of a “disruptive person.” They allege that Green attempted to re-enter the bar through a rear entrance and later placed an item in the small of his back. Commands were issued “in reference to a gun,” and moments later, Green was gunned down. Investigators later found a firearm, but the autopsy makes clear: every single bullet entered his back.
Green’s manager and friend, Timothy Coleman, expressed disbelief: “I just couldn’t believe it was 17 times in the back. There’s not one shot in the front. If he wasn’t pointing a gun at you or doing anything, what does that have to do with shooting him in the back 17 times? That means he wasn’t facing you. He wasn’t a threat.”
Green was a father of twin girls, a family man, and an artist who left behind a legacy, including his final album PTSD: Vietnam Vet released in 2020.
The Larger Issue
This is not just about one man. This is about a system that continues to allow police officers, sworn to protect, to kill Black men with impunity.
- Seventeen shots in the back is not self-defense. It is execution.
- When officers fire this many times, it reveals not fear, but intent.
- The justice system has repeatedly failed to hold officers accountable, creating what feels like a license to kill.
And what makes this even more painful is the reality that Black officers, too, have participated in this cycle of violence against their own communities. The badge, in too many cases, has become a shield for abuse rather than a symbol of protection.
The Questions We Must Confront
- What will make a person shoot another human being 17 times in the back?
- How can the justice system continue to justify these killings?
- Why are Black men still being killed, while the officers responsible walk free?
- When will police departments stop operating like mafia hit squads, taking lives whenever they feel like it?
A Call for Accountability
It is long past time to demand change. Calls to “defund” are not about chaos, they are about redirecting resources away from militarized policing and toward community safety, mental health, education, and opportunity.
Every time another Black man is killed, we are reminded that reform alone is not enough. Accountability must be real. Justice must be enforced. And communities must be empowered to protect themselves from the very institutions that claim to serve them.
Timeline of Police Killings of Black Men (2014–2025)
2014 – Michael Brown (Ferguson, Missouri)
- Shot and killed by Officer Darren Wilson.
- His death sparked nationwide protests and helped ignite the Black Lives Matter movement Statista.
2015 – Walter Scott (North Charleston, South Carolina)
- Shot five times in the back while fleeing a traffic stop.
- Officer Michael Slager was eventually sentenced to 20 years in prison CBC.
2016 – Alton Sterling (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)
- Shot outside a convenience store while pinned to the ground.
- Federal prosecutors declined to charge the officers involved CBC.
2016 – Philando Castile (Falcon Heights, Minnesota)
- Shot during a traffic stop after informing the officer he was legally carrying a firearm.
- The aftermath was streamed live on Facebook by his girlfriend. Officer Jeronimo Yanez was acquitted CBC.
2016 – Terence Crutcher (Tulsa, Oklahoma)
- Shot while his hands were raised near his stalled vehicle.
- Officer Betty Shelby was acquitted of manslaughter CBC.
2020 – George Floyd (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
- Murdered when Officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for over nine minutes.
- His death sparked global protests against police brutality Wikipedia.
2020 – Rayshard Brooks (Atlanta, Georgia)
- Shot in the back by police after being found asleep in his car at a Wendy’s drive-thru.
- His killing reignited protests in Atlanta Wikipedia.
2022 – Patrick Lyoya (Grand Rapids, Michigan)
- Shot in the back of the head during a traffic stop.
- Officer Christopher Schurr was charged with second-degree murder Wikipedia.
2025 – Linton “B Green” Blackwell (Atlanta, Georgia)
- Shot 17 times in the back by off-duty officer Gerald Walker outside Five Paces Inn.
- His autopsy confirmed no shots to the front, raising questions of execution rather than defense mappingpoliceviolence.us.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/585152/people-shot-to-death-by-us-police-by-race
https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/list-police-related-deaths-usa-1.4438618
https://mappingpoliceviolence.us
What This Timeline Shows
- Pattern of excessive force: From Ferguson to Atlanta, Black men are disproportionately killed by police.
- Lack of accountability: Many officers are acquitted or never charged, reinforcing systemic impunity.
- Escalation of violence: Shooting someone 17 times in the back, as in B Green’s case, is not policing — it is execution.
- Community impact: Each killing leaves families devastated and communities traumatized, fueling mistrust of law enforcement.
Closing Thought
This timeline makes clear: B Green’s killing is not an isolated tragedy. It is part of a decades-long crisis of police violence against Black men. Until accountability is real and systemic change is enforced, these killings will continue.
Sources: Wikipedia CBC Statista mappingpoliceviolence.us
Closing Thought
B Green’s death is not just a tragedy, it is a symptom of a system that continues to devalue Black lives. Seventeen shots in the back is not policing. It is murder.
The question remains: When will justice finally come?
