CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte Hornets announced Sunday that the team would be ending its partnership with CPI Security. It comes less than 24 hours after the Carolina Panthers announced the same thing, following an email by the CEO of CPI Security that was leaked to the public.
In a statement, the Hornets said the team believed it was "appropriate" to end the relationship.
“Our chairman has been very clear about his thoughts surrounding the issues of racial equality, social justice and diversity," the statement from the Charlotte Hornets reads. "Hornets Sports & Entertainment shares these values. As a result, we believe it is appropriate at this time to end our partnership with CPI. We notified CPI CEO Ken Gill of our decision earlier today. Across our organization from our ownership, to our players, to our staff, we are fully committed to improving racial equality, social justice, diversity and access to education throughout our community.”
The email was sent in response to a call to action by Queen City Unity to end police brutality.
In the email obtained by WCNC Charlotte, CPI Security CEO Kenneth Gill suggests Jorge Millares, with Queen City Unity, “spend time in a more productive way,” and that “a better use of time, would be to focus on the black on black crime and senseless killing of our young men by other young men.”
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