Pardon Martinez Long — He Stopped a Killer and Deserves Recognition

Martinez Long should be pardoned. This 19-year-old stopped an active shooter at Fairlane Town Center after Cameron Watkins pulled a firearm from a woman's purse, killed Keonte Seaborn, wounded a bystander, and kept firing. Wayne County prosecutors found Long acted in lawful self-defense and defense of others. The only charge that stuck was a weapons violation — because Michigan law makes it legally impossible for anyone under 21 to carry a concealed pistol lawfully, regardless of intent or circumstance. The judge's public rebuke — "what do you need a gun for in a mall?" — is the wrong response to what actually happened. Long had no prior record, ended a deadly threat that law enforcement hadn't reached yet, and was still handed probation and a criminal file. Punishing him on a technicality while acknowledging his actions were legally justified sends a damaging message about who gets protected by the law. A pardon is the right call. Full story: https://atlantablackstar.com/2026/09/10/black-michigan-teen-sentenced-after-killing-active-shooter/