Champaign County community members voiced their opinions during the audience participation segment about the death of Kiwane Carrington, Tuesday evening at the Champaign City Council meeting. Council chambers was filled to capacity and some community members were asked to sit outside and watch on TV during the meeting.

“We need answers,” said Dennis Adkins, community member. “The truth will come to light; what’s in the dark will come to light.”

Urbana resident Neil Parthun discussed the list of civil cases and complaints pending against Champaign Police Department.

Several community members at the meeting called for Champaign Police Chief R.T. Finney to resign or be fired.

“Finney is central to the problem,” said Danielle Chynoweth, Urbana resident and member of CU Citizens for Peace and Justice. “That he would draw a gun on an unarmed child and let his staff do the same is unconscionable.”

Chynoweth cited the Champaign Police Deparment deadly force policy document that the police department enacted on Oct. 1. She asked the council to reexamine it.

“If you try to escape, they can kill you,” she said. “If you are unarmed, they can kill you.”

Chynoweth called for an independent citizen review board similar to Urbana’s and asked for the charges against the other boy involved in the case to be dropped.

Seon Williams, Carrington’s uncle, said that the council needs to help the community.

“As a community, we need to meet each other in the middle,” he said. “We need to come together and solve our problems, not neglect our responsibilities to young people.”

He added that not every Champaign police officer is harmful.

Rev. Jerome C. Chambers, president of the Champaign County branch of the NAACP, attended the meeting.

“I am here to speak for justice and equality,” Chambers said. “People want questions answered, but they won’t be answered until the investigation is complete.”

Champaign Mayor Gerald Schweighart said community members need to be patient while waiting for the investigation to finish.

“The rumor mills don’t help,” he said. “They’ll (community members) will get it as it’s released, as we get information.”

Schweighart said the information is reviewed by the state police and the state’s attorney before the council is briefed.

“It’s not a white thing and it’s not a black thing,” said Marti Wilkinson, Champaign resident. “It’s a community issue.”

Urbana resident Glenda Thomas said she is scared for community members.

“Please don’t just sit there and say they’re angry,” Thomas said to the city council. “These are things that concern all of us.”