‘I am confused and afraid’: Teen killed by police describes violence in his community

Two years before he was killed, Antwon Rose wrote a poem describing his fear of violence in his community.

Rose's family is sharing the poem written by the teen, who was killed by East Pittsburgh police on Tuesday.

In the poem, titled "I AM NOT WHAT YOU THINK!" Rose, of Rankin, describes his confusion.

"His mom, Michelle Kenny, wants everyone to have it," Woodland Hills School District Superintendent Licia Lentz said in a message.

Rose wrote the poem two years ago as a 10th-grader in an Honors English class at Woodland Hills High School.

The 17-year-old was shot and killed Tuesday as he ran from a car that police had stopped in East Pittsburgh.

I AM NOT WHAT YOU THINK!

By Antwon Rose

I am confused and afraid

I wonder what path I will take

I hear that there's only two ways out

I see mothers bury their sons

I want my mom to never feel that pain

I am confused and afraid

I pretend all is fine

I feel like I'm suffocating

I touch nothing so I believe all is fine

I worry that it isn't though

I cry no more

I am confused and afraid

I understand people believe I'm just a statistic

I say to them I'm different

I dream of life getting easier

I try my best to make my dream true

I hope that it does

I am confused and afraid