Pete Buttigieg Faces Backlash from African American Community over South Bend Shootings

South Bend Mayor and 2020 presidential contender Pete Buttigieg is facing tough criticism from the city’s African American community after a recent shooting where a white police officer fatally shot an African American man. Buttigieg faced protesters Friday and held a town hall on Sunday, but neither event helped to quell the concerns of South Bend residents. The town hall took place just hours after a second fatal shooting in the city.

The Washington Post: ‘We Don’t Trust You!’: After Fatal Police Shooting, Black Residents Confront Buttigieg

NBC News: Buttigieg faces shout-downs, heckles, profanity at testy town hall after fatal police shooting

The Hill: Tensions Boil Over At Buttigieg Town Hall After Recent Violence

Axios: Buttigieg Faces Tense Town Hall On South Bend Police Shooting

Associated Press: Buttigieg Criticized At Emotional Town Hall After Shooting

LA Times: Black Residents Of South Bend Unload On Mayor Pete Buttigieg

CNN: Under Pete Buttigieg, Racial Tension Has Long Plagued South Bend’s Police Department

Buttigieg’s tenure as mayor has been marked by criticism from the African American community. The Washington Post described his relationship with black residents as the “Achilles’ heel of his candidacy.” Buttigieg previously faced backlash over demoting South Bend’s first African American police chief. He has also come under fire for his housing revitalization plan which directly impacted black and Latino neighborhoods. In the aftermath of the shootings, the South Bend police union is accusing Buttigieg of making decisions “solely for his political gain.“