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Darius Jackson, a fitness enthusiast and social media influencer boyfriend of actress-singer Keke Palmer, has found himself on the receiving end of significant criticism. It all began on July 6 when he first called out Keke Palmer for wearing what he deemed as an inappropriate outfit to Usher’s July 4 Las Vegas concert.
In a video that surfaced on social media, Palmer was seen wearing a sheer black dress over a matching thong bodysuit, accompanied by strappy black heels, red lips, and wavy hair.
Darius Jackson commented on it, saying:
“It’s the outfit tho..you a mom.”
When he was slammed for his comment, he further defended himself.
Following this, fans of Keke Palmer on Twitter went to great lengths to dig up Darius Jackson’s old tweets, three of which surround a person named Alton Sterling.
On July 5, 2016, Sterling was shot and killed by a police officer in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. While the incident sparked country-wide protests against police brutality, Darius Jackson posted a series of tweets on July 7, 2016, taking the side of the perpetrator.
“#AltonSterling could’ve made the situation easier for EVERYBODY if he would follow orders and get his *ss on the ground and not resist.”
Jackson's resurfaced tweets have added fire to the criticism being levelled against him.
Alton Sterling, the man Darius Jackson critiqued, was 37 years old when he was killed
Born on June 14, 1979, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Alton Sterling was a victim of police brutality and died at the age of 37 on July 5, 2016. He was a CD vendor and had a wife and five children. He lived in a shelter called Living Waters Outreach Ministries and was well-known for his friendly nature and love for cooking. Sterling did, however, have a criminal record - he served five years in prison in 2009 following a fight with a police officer and resisting arrest.
On that fateful evening of July 2016, the Baton Rouge local police received an anonymous tip that a man clad in a red shirt was selling CDs outside a grocery store and threatening another person with a gun. When officers Blane Salamoni and Howie Lake arrived at the scene, they confronted Sterling who was there alone. They pinned him to the ground by kneeling on his chest and thigh.
Later, in his report, officer Salamoni claimed that Sterling was reaching in his pocket for his gun and that he was forced to shoot Alton in defense. When EMS arrived on the scene, they declared the 37-year-old dead from six gunshot wounds to the chest, all fired at close range.
According to witness statements and videos, Sterling was not carrying a gun on himself, did not try to pull anything out of his pocket, and nor did he resist. Later, the bodycam footage of Officer Salamoni who shot him revealed that while his fellow officer was trying to restrain Sterling, he drew his gun and threatened to shoot Alton if he moved. Within 90 seconds, shots were fired from his gun.
On July 7, 2016, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a civil rights investigation into the incident. After almost a year, on May 2, 2017, no charges were filed against the two officers involved.
On March 30, 2018, nearly two years after Alton Sterling’s untimely death, Officer Salamoni was fired for violating the policy of using police force, while Officer Lake was suspended for three months for losing his temper and being unable to control his fellow officer.
People across the USA mourned the death of Alton Sterling and protest marches took place demanding justice. While crowds on the street chanted “We love Baton Rouge,” the hashtag #AltonSterling became a rage on social media. In 2021, Sterling’s family was compensated with 4.5 million dollars by the city of Baton Rouge.
Internet slams Darius Jackson for his insensitive comments on the Alton Sterling incident
In the wake of the Keke Palmer outfit drama, Twitter users have unearthed years-old tweets of his boyfriend Darius Jackson. In one such thread, he questioned why Alton Sterling, the black man shot by a white police officer, did not immediately comply with police instructions.
Netizens were outraged at his old tweets and slammed him.
As of Thursday, Darius Jackson's Twitter account has been deactivated, and the couple has stopped following each other on Instagram.
The duo first met in May 2021 at a Memorial Day party and went public with their relationship in August. However, in March 2022, they removed each other’s pictures from their respective social media accounts, thus giving rise to speculation of their separation. In February 2023, they welcomed their first child, a son named Leodis.
