Protesters march two years after death of 2-year-old girl

JOPLIN, Mo. (KOAM) - #justiceforclesslynn could be read on numerous signs or shirts in downtown Joplin Saturday.

Protesters gathered and walked up and down Main Street before eventually moving to 7th and Rangeline.

They were protesting the death of two-year-old Clesslynn Crawford who was killed in March 2022.

Clesslynn was killed in an incident in Baxter Springs, Ks , during which several area law enforcement agencies responded.

This  included Joplin Police, who assisted Kansas authorities with a barricaded and armed man.

During the event, a Joplin officer identified only as "Sniper One" shot and killed Clesslynn.

In September 2023 , p rosecutors declined to press charges on the unnamed officer.

Now, protesters are requesting that the name of the officer who shot Clesslynn be released and made public.

"The protest is to let the community know, because when you go around and you ask people if they know about the story, 90% of them say, no," says Shane Norris, Clesslynn's uncle and a protester. 'If and when another civilian was to gun down somebody, accident or not, it would be known all over. So we just, we just want justice. “

The family of Clesslynn Crawford say they will continue to try and bring public attention to the story until the name of the officer is released.

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