Just seven minutes elapsed between the time Pirone got to the platform and when Grant was shot. He said he thought Grant was reaching for a gun in his waistband, and later claimed that he had reached for his taser but mistakenly grabbed his gun instead. Officer Anthony Pirone had responded to reports of a fight on the platform when Grant tried to intervene on behalf of one of his friends, he was hit more than once by Pirone, who then restrained him. In 2009, 22-year-old Oscar Grant-a young father who had dreams of opening up a barbershop, and who was considered a leader and role model by many in his community-was fatally shot by a white transit officer named Johannes Mehserle at Fruitvale Station in Oakland, California. Angie Thomas started writing The Hate U Give in 2010 after Oscar Grant was killed by a police officer.
Here’s what you need to know about the acclaimed novel. The novel shows the effects of police brutality through the eyes of 16-year-old Starr, whose childhood friend is shot and killed by a police officer-a story that, unfortunately, has not gotten less relevant over time. Angie Thomas’s 2017 debut novel, The Hate U Give, has held its place in our hearts (and the New York Times Bestseller List) for half a decade now.