Sister Of Madison Officer Who Shot Unarmed Black Man Expresses Support For Protests

Amanda Kenny Also Defends Her Brother, Saying He's Not Part Of Problem


Officer Matt Kenny. Courtesy of Madison Police Department.

The sister of a white Madison Police officer who shot and killed an unarmed black man says his family supports what she called the “impulse” to protest the shooting.

Matt Kenny shot 19-year-old Tony Robinson in an apartment house on March 6 after responding to calls that Robinson had attacked two people and was running in traffic. The incident has spurred the city’s black community to mount multiple protests. Some demonstrators have called for Kenny to be charged with homicide but the rallies have been peaceful thus far.

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Kenny’s sister, Amanda, released a statement Thursday through the Wisconsin Professional Police Association. She said her family is saddened by Robinson’s death and supports the “impulse to protest.”

She also said that the Madison community needs to have conversations about racial inequality, and that it “can do better for all its citizens.”

However, she also called her brother a caring person dedicated to public service, asserting that he is not part of the problem. She described her brother, officer Matt Kenny, as a kind and conscientious person, and details his career at the Madison Police Department and with the Coast Guard.

An outside investigation is being conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Justice.

Read Amanda Kenny’s statement below:

Editor’s Note: The headline for this story has been revised to say “black” instead of “biracial,” which is the racial identity Tony Robinson’s family prefers for describing him.

Editor’s Note: This story has been updated with further description of what Amanda Kenny wrote in her statement.