‘For the officers involved in killing my son, I want justice,’ says mother of man killed during traffic stop

SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) - No parent wants to receive a call about their child being dead, but that’s the call Laverne Taylor and Terrance Terry received Sunday night, and they’ll never forget it.

On April 23, Joseph Dewayne Taylor, 33, was pulled over for a traffic stop, but he never made it to his destination because he was shot and killed by Shreveport police that night.

“He was a good father to both of his kids; he doesn’t miss anything. He loves to play Spades. He’s just a person that everybody loves. Right now our family is hurting because he’s gone. This is beyond ridiculous. This is a stopping point right here; this is for my son,” Laverne said.

Joseph’s family says they received a call then obtained graphic cell cellphone footage of the incident that they watched in disbelief. The family says they feel his life was stolen.

“I want this coverage to go out all over the world, United States, to every person you know. You’ll never know when it’s gonna be your last time. You never know when a police officer is going to stop you and do unnecessary things,” Laverne said.

Through their pain, Joseph’s family demands answers.

“But for my son, me and his father, we want justice. That’s all we really want. For the officers involved in killing my son, I want justice. They need to be arrested today and charged with murder. That’s what I want.”

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