Photo credit: Associated Press
D’Monterrio Gibson, a 25-year-old Black FedEx delivery driver from Brookhaven, Mississippi, reported he was fired from his job after surviving an alleged racial attack earlier this year. Gibson informed the Brookhaven police of the incident on January 24, 2022. Subsequently, he has been on worker’s compensation leave, drawing approximately one-third of his typical pay. “I honestly feel disrespected,” Gibson shared with the Associated Press, referring to the email notification he received from FedEx regarding his termination. According to FedEx Manager of Global Network Communications Meredith Miller, Gibson is “no longer employed at FedEx,” although she provided no further details.
Two white men, Brandon and Gregory Case, currently face charges of attempted first-degree murder, conspiracy, and shooting into the vehicle driven by Gibson. Last week, a Mississippi judge declared a mistrial in their criminal case, pointing to police errors. Specifically, a detective’s failure to share a videotaped police interview with Gibson with both prosecutors and defense attorneys resulted in the mistrial ruling.
In July, FedEx offered Gibson a part-time, non-courier role. According to Carlos Moore, Gibson’s attorney in a related civil lawsuit, his client was fired because he didn’t accept this new position. “They can’t tell me when I should be ready to come back,” Gibson commented on the matter.
Still grappling with the aftermath of the incident, Gibson revealed he has been undergoing therapy for anxiety and sleep disturbances. Meanwhile, the accused men, Brandon and Gregory Case, are currently out on bond with a new trial date pending.
Mississippi has a deeply rooted history of racial injustice and has often been the epicenter of race-related conflicts in the U.S. From its brutal past of slavery, the rise of the Ku Klux Klan, to the Jim Crow laws that sought to marginalize African Americans post-Civil War, the state has been emblematic of racial tension. The violent suppression of civil rights activists in the 1960s and the notorious lynching cases highlight Mississippi’s resistance to racial progress.
This incident underscores how far we still have to go. It adds another painful chapter to Mississippi’s already complex and often grim narrative on race, pointing to enduring systemic issues that continue to plague the state and the nation at large. When a Black man cannot even perform his job delivering packages without being shot at, chased, and later fired, it underscores the entrenched racism that still exists in corners of this state and beyond.
The experience of D’Monterrio Gibson isn’t an isolated incident; it’s a manifestation of the larger, deeply-rooted problem of anti-Black racism that persists in America. Black people often find themselves the target of violence, discrimination, and systemic injustices simply because of the color of their skin. The notion that Gibson was pursued and shot at while carrying out a routine job task exemplifies the perilous situations that Black Americans can find themselves in, merely by existing in spaces that some deem as ‘not for them.’ His firing afterwards only adds insult to injury, echoing a system that too often penalizes Black individuals not just for standing up for themselves, but sometimes simply for surviving. Whether it’s driving while Black, jogging while Black, or delivering packages while Black, the specter of racial profiling and racially-motivated violence continues to haunt everyday activities, reinforcing the urgent need for systemic change.
On the legal front, Gibson faced another setback when a federal judge dismissed his $5 million lawsuit against FedEx on August 10. The judge stated that the lawsuit failed to prove racial discrimination by the company. However, Moore announced plans to file a new civil suit in state court, seeking $10 million in damages.
This case has significantly impacted the Brookhaven community and raised broader concerns. A grand jury report released last month severely criticized the Brookhaven Police Department, accusing it of poor investigative practices, complacency, and a lack of professionalism. This added layer of scrutiny, coupled with Gibson’s firing and the mistrial, has thrust the issues of racial justice, employment rights, and law enforcement accountability into the national spotlight.
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