Friends Witnessed Miami Beach Cops Killing Teenage Artist Israel Hernández-Llach

A life lost, an artist worth remembering --

Two of the dead teenager’s friends, including one who says he was his “lookout” while Hernández-Llach applied paint, said the officers exchanged high-fives and congratulations after Tasering him. “He was on the ground and the cops were making jokes,” said 19-year-old Thiago Souza. Félix Fernández said he saw about five police officers chasing Hernández and shoving him against a wall. Then he saw his friend on the ground, surrounded by police. (source infra)

Friends who witnessed Tasering of Beach teen offer disturbing details - Miami-Dade - MiamiHerald.com: " . . . All he thought about was art.’’ Herb Kelly, one of his art teachers at Miami Beach High, said “it was an honor to work with him.’’ He said a number of his pieces were exhibited at various galleries and museums in the area and he was very active at networking. “He was cutting edge. He had such awesome potential. To lose his life the way he did is tragic.’’ Kelly said the teen was inspired by Miami Herald photographer Carl Juste, whom he met when he spoke to one of his classes. “He was a photographer too, and was going to try to show Carl some of his work,’’ Kelly said. His best friend, Tracy West’s daughter Eleanor, said he was born in Colombia and moved to this country when he was 13 or 14. He immediately fell in love with Miami, she said, and said he never planned to leave. He had recently launched a line of skateboards that he designed and hoped to market under the name “Tropical,’’ and was completing an online course to earn his high school diploma. “His art was everything to him,’’ she said." (read more at link above)

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