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The family of slain civil rights leader Malcolm X is suing law enforcement agencies, alleging complicity in his 1965 assassination. They demand answers and accountability sixty years after his death.
On February 21, 1965, gunmen shot Malcolm X at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City. He was addressing a meeting when multiple shooters fired 21 bullets, killing him in front of his wife and daughters.
The family claims law enforcement and U.S. intelligence agencies intentionally removed police protection that night. They also allege that plainclothes officers present did not intervene. A vigil was held at the Shabazz Center in New York to honor his legacy and to promote the families pursuit of justice.
“We are looking for a long-awaited truth after 60 years,” stated Ilyasah Shabazz, Malcolm X’s daughter.
Attorney Ben Crump, representing the family, said, “This cover-up spanned decades, blocking the Shabazz family’s access to the truth and their right to pursue justice.”
In 2021, two of the three men convicted of the assassination were exonerated. An inquiry revealed that the New York Police Department (NYPD) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) withheld crucial evidence.
The family’s lawsuit alleges direct involvement of these agencies in the killing. Expert Abdur-Rahman Muhammad stated that identifying who ordered the assassination is critical to the lawsuit. The lawsuit’s success hinges on providing clear evidence of a planned conspiracy.
