Actress Issa Rae has started a scholarship fund for the children of Alton Sterling, a 37-year-old black man who was shot and killed by police in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, early Tuesday morning.
By the end of the fundraiser’s first day, nearly $130,000 had been pledged on the scholarship’s GoFundMe page. The fund has a total goal of $40,000. Rae, who is best known for her YouTube series “Awkward Black Girl,” tweeted that all the proceeds will go to Sterling’s family.
Sterling, a father of five, was killed during an encounter with two police officers, who arrived on the scene in response to reports of a man carrying a gun, threatening others and selling CDs in front of a Triple S convenience store. Sterling was shot in the chest and back multiple times.
The Department of Justice has launched a civil rights investigation into Sterling’s death.
A graphic video showing Sterling’s interaction with the officers began circulating on social media Tuesday evening. Protests in Baton Rouge that began Tuesday night have continued throughout the day Wednesday.
UPDATE: 9:10 p.m. ― This article has been updated to account for new pledges to the scholarship fund.
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