Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on Wednesday cited the “tragic” case of Sandra Bland, a black woman who died in a Texas jail, as a reason to call for action on racial bias in the U.S.
“My heart breaks at seeing another young African American life lost too soon,” Clinton said in a statement reported by CNN on Wednesday, after dashcam video emerged Tuesday of Bland’s traffic stop earlier this month.
“Sandra Bland had a bright future ahead of her and it is particularly tragic that she lost her life just as she was to start her new career,” Clinton said of the 28-year-old.
{mosads}”From what I’ve seen, the circumstances of this case are incredibly disturbing. I hope and expect that there will be a full investigation into this situation,” she continued.
“It is also a tragic reminder of the ongoing systemic issues of race and justice in America that we must address with urgency, and we have to do more than talk — we have to take action,” she added.
Bland was found dead in a county jail cell early last week, three days after she was pulled over for a routine traffic stop. Video shows a confrontation between Bland and the arresting officer.
Texas authorities initially said it appeared Bland committed suicide, something her family has questioned, since she recently moved from Chicago to Texas for a job at her alma mater.
Two Texas Democrats, Reps. Sheila Jackson Lee and Al Green, are among several lawmakers who have called on the Justice Department to investigate Bland’s death.
The case has added to debate over police tactics and issues of race following a series of high-profile deaths of black men in Ferguson, Mo., Staten Island, N.Y., and Baltimore while in police custody.
Two chief rivals to Clinton, who has made criminal justice reform a central part of her early campaign, have also weighed in on the Bland case days after being confronted by Black Lives Matter protesters.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) late Tuesday called the video of Bland’s arrest “outrageous” and called for police reform, while former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley has called for a thorough investigation.