In the weeks following the July 24 death of John Deng, many have raised issues regarding the legitimacy of the shooting and whether it was warranted. The Iowa Attorney General’s Office released its final report on Sept. 25, determining that Johnson County Sheriff’s Deputy Terry Stotler was justified in shooting Deng because he was protecting the life of John Bohnenkamp, who had been stabbed by Deng.
Here’s where the ambiguities arise. Before the incident took place, Bohnenkamp and his wife were inside the Hawkeye Hideaway, a tavern on Prentiss Street. At the time they exited the bar, Deng was crossing the street carrying bags of bottles, one of which spilled its contents. Bohnenkamp then confronted Deng, ordering the Sudanese man to pick up the bottles.
Why in his right mind would Bohnenkamp care, let alone confront, a man who accidentally spilled his means of income? My first thought is that by consuming alcohol, Bohnenkamp’s inhibitions and judgment were to the point that he felt persuaded to do so. We’ve all seen the homeless people carrying garbage bags full of cans, but I have found no good reason to clash with them.
Although the police investigation tested Deng’s blood-alcohol content and found it to be .295 percent, they did not find it necessary to test Bohnenkamp’s. It is unacceptable for the police not to test the alcohol level of a man leaving a bar who was primarily involved — and somewhat responsible — for the death of another, whether it was in self-defense or not.
I say responsible for a good reason.
When Stotler identified himself and drew his gun after Deng stabbed Bohnenkamp, the deputy specifically yelled “Run! Get out of here” to Bohnenkamp, according to the official report. Instead of fleeing the situation, Bohnenkamp escalated it by striking Deng in the head, which prompted Deng to charge with the knife. Then Stotler discharged his weapon.
It’s highly disturbing that the Attorney General’s Office decided to close the books on the case with so many open-ended questions needing investigation. Bohnenkamp may be the victim in this ordeal, but we’re all responsible for the choices we make and the arguments we put ourselves in.
Unfortunately, in this case, a man’s death looms as the result.
— by Michael Dale-Stein
Did ethnicity matter?
Ah, the ubiquitous conversation catalyst: ethnicity.
Name a controversial scenario or topic, and the issue invariably appears in the discourse. So it’s only natural that it would wind its way into the recent John Deng investigation.
The report, released Sept. 25, found that Johnson County Sheriff’s Deputy Terry Stotler was justified in shooting Deng, who had just stabbed Iowa City resident John Bohnenkamp.
So did the omnipresent issue have a role in the Deng investigation or death?
Deng’s death was, without a doubt, tragic. He lived an undeniably austere and arduous life, coming to the United States as one of the “Lost Boys of Sudan.” The fight between Deng and Bohnenkamp could have been easily averted if Bohnenkamp hadn’t initially provoked Deng, who had merely spilled bottles from his garbage bag.
But we can’t see into Bohnenkamp’s head at that moment or speculate about his visceral prejudices, and I think it’s equally difficult to argue the investigation would have found a different result had Deng been white.
I think class, rather than skin color, played a part in this unfortunate incident.
Iowa City has a large homeless community. Questions still remain even after the release of the report, but we know that Deng was confronted for a bag spilt asunder. Bohnenkamp’s reaction was a clear case of class privilege that he was attempting to, machismo apparent, parlay into class hegemony.
Fault can be found on both sides. Deng shouldn’t have stabbed Bohnenkamp, just as the Bohnenkamp shouldn’t have initiated the violent encounter. But one thing’s clear: If Bohnenkamp didn’t have an inflated sense of class entitlement, there would have been no provocation.
Bohnenkamp’s actions could have been subterraneously ethnically motivated. But the overt impetus was class.
— by Shawn Gude
