Malcolm X Grandson Malcolm Shabazz Slain In Mexico City Mugging Leaving Questions Behind
Malcolm X’s grandson, 28-year-old Malcolm Shabazz, was killed Thursday in what was at first described as a violent Tijuana, Mexico robbery. However, as details slowly emerge, it turns out that Shabazz was likely beaten to death in the botched mugging in Mexico City.
Activist Juan Ruiz told Talking Points Memo that he’d spoken with another victim who was with Shabazz during the attack: “He was murdered. He was in Mexico City and I believe they attempted to rob him and he didn’t allow it, so they beat him to death and he died on his way to the hospital.”
Ruiz also said that Shabazz had traveled to Mexico to meet with a Mexican human rights activist, Miguel Suarez, who had been deported from the United States a month ago.
The Inquisitr’s Jennifer Deutschmann reported earlier on the initial reports of his death, including Twitter and Facebook announcements by family friend Terrie M. Williams.
At that time, it was unclear just what had happened — and where. However, there are now multiple reports placing Shabazz in Mexico City instead of the border town of Tijuana.
Malcolm Shabazz first came to public awareness as a troubled 12-year-old, when he set fire to his grandmother Betty Shabazz’s apartment. She died a month later. He was also arrested as an adult on robbery and vandalism charges.
Despite his struggles, as Malcolm X’s grandson, Shabazz experienced a political awakening and was working in human rights activism at the time of his death.
Al-Hajj Talib Abdur-Rashid, a spiritual advisor to the Shabazz family, confirmed the news to NBC, noting that details are still vague: “They’re like any family would be under the circumstances. They’re in shock. They’re grieving.”
NBC added that Friday is Mother’s Day in Mexico. With many offices closed for celebrations, they were having trouble reaching authorities who could answer the public’s questions about the tragic slaying of Malcolm X’s grandson.
[Mexico City police station photo by Augusto664 via Wikimedia Commons]
