Killing of Alton Sterling: Difference between revisions
Pifthemighty (talk | contribs) m spelling mistake |
→Response: added more on DOJ investigation |
||
| Line 63: | Line 63: | ||
==Response== |
==Response== |
||
Louisiana [[U.S. Representative]] [[Cedric Richmond]] said that the footage of Sterling’s shooting is “deeply troubling” and called for a [[U.S. Department of Justice]] investigation into the man’s death.<ref>{{cite web|author=Craven, Julia|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/alton-sterling-video_us_577c78e7e4b09b4c43c18f1b|title=Graphic Video Shows Baton Rouge Police Shooting Alton Sterling|publisher=''[[Huffington Post]]''|date=July 6, 2016|accessdate=July 6, 2016}}</ref> |
Louisiana [[U.S. Representative]] [[Cedric Richmond]] said that the footage of Sterling’s shooting is “deeply troubling” and called for a [[U.S. Department of Justice]] investigation into the man’s death.<ref>{{cite web|author=Craven, Julia|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/alton-sterling-video_us_577c78e7e4b09b4c43c18f1b|title=Graphic Video Shows Baton Rouge Police Shooting Alton Sterling|publisher=''[[Huffington Post]]''|date=July 6, 2016|accessdate=July 6, 2016}}</ref> Governor [[John Bel Edwards]] announced on Wednesday that the Department of Justice would launch an investigation <ref>{{cite web|author=Kaleem, Jaweed|url=http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-louisiana-police-officer-kills-man-20160706-snap-story.html|title=Department of Justice to investigate Alton Sterling's killing by police in Louisiana}}</ref> |
||
==References== |
==References== |
||
Revision as of 17:17, 6 July 2016
An editor has nominated this article for deletion. You are welcome to participate in the deletion discussion, which will decide whether or not to retain it. |
 | This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. |
| Date | July 5, 2016 |
|---|---|
| Time | 12:35 am |
| Location | 2112 North Foster Drive, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States |
| Type | Shooting |
| Filmed by | Bystander's cell phone camera |
| Participants | Two Baton Rouge Police Department officers |
| Deaths | Alton Sterling |
The shooting of Alton Sterling took place on July 5, 2016 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Sterling, a 37-year-old man, was shot by a Baton Rouge Police Department officer several times after he was pinned down to the ground by two officers, who arrived in response to a report that Sterling threatened a person with a gun, while selling CDs outside a convenience store. A firearm, reportedly possessed by Sterling at the time of the incident, was recovered from the scene of the shooting. This led to protests in Baton Rouge.[1] The brief cellphone video commences at the point of confrontation between Sterling and police. It does not show what led up to the confrontation. He was tackled, and allegedly shot at point-blank range.[2] The shooting was recorded as a 48-second cell phone video, shot by a bystander who was sitting in a car. The first 25 seconds of the recording show the confrontation and shooting. The final 23 seconds of the recording are sound only.
Shooting
At 12:35 a.m., at 2112 North Foster Drive, in the parking lot of Triple S Food Mart, Sterling was detained by Baton Rouge Police Department officers after an anonymous caller reported that a man believed to be Sterling was threatening him and waving or brandishing a handgun while in the process of selling CDs. One officer grabbed Sterling, who was of heavy build, and tackled him to the hood of a silver sedan and then to the ground. Sterling was pinned to the ground, while one officer kneeled on him and pulled Sterling's left arm. The officers shouted "Get on the ground," "He's got a gun!" twice and then "If you fucking move, I swear to God!" One officer was heard on the video saying "Mike, he's going for the Taser!" One officer aimed his gun at Sterling's body and then fired four or five shots, in which one gunshot was shown fired on the bystander's cell phone camera, and the camera was then moved under the car window when the last three or four shots were fired. There was a brief pause between the first and second firing of shots.[3][4] A firearm was later recovered from Sterling's pocket.[1]
According to the owner of Triple S Food Mart, Sterling was not holding a gun or reaching for his pockets before he was shot. He also said Sterling was Tasered before he was shot. Police have not verified if these claims were accurate.[1]
East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner William Clark said the initial results of an autopsy performed on July 5 show Sterling died due to a homicide and suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and back.[1]
Aftermath
On the night of July 5, over 100 demonstrators in Baton Rouge shouted “no justice, no peace," set off fireworks and blocked an intersection to protest Sterling's death.[4] Flowers and messages were left at the place of his death. The police cleared a crowd of about 200 people, but the organizers announced that they would regroup in front of City Hall.[5] Several streets were shut down where people prayed and played music.
Response
Louisiana U.S. Representative Cedric Richmond said that the footage of Sterling’s shooting is “deeply troubling” and called for a U.S. Department of Justice investigation into the man’s death.[6] Governor John Bel Edwards announced on Wednesday that the Department of Justice would launch an investigation [7]
References
- ^ a b c d Lau, Maya; Stole, Bryn (July 6, 2016). "'He's got a gun! Gun': Video shows fatal confrontation between Alton Sterling, Baton Rouge police officer". The Advocate. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ King, Shaun (5 July 2016). "KING: We'll all remember where we were when we saw Alton Sterling killed in a brutal act of political violence". New York Daily News. Retrieved 6 July 2016.
We've seen a lot of police brutality these past few years, but seeing the police first tackle and manhandle Alton Sterling, mount him like a UFC fighter, then pull their guns out and shoot him repeatedly at point-blank range, killing him right there in front of his local convenience store where he was known as the "CD Man," was equal parts devastating, infuriating, heartbreaking, maddening and overwhelming.
- ^ "Alton Sterling shot dead by police in Baton Rouge". BNO News. July 5, 2016.
- ^ a b Brennan, Christopher (July 5, 2016). "Alton Sterling shot, killed by Louisiana cops during struggle after he was selling music outside Baton Rouge store (WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT)". New York Daily News. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
- ^ "US protests after police shooting of black man in Louisiana". BBC News. Retrieved 6 July 2016.
- ^ Craven, Julia (July 6, 2016). "Graphic Video Shows Baton Rouge Police Shooting Alton Sterling". Huffington Post. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Kaleem, Jaweed. "Department of Justice to investigate Alton Sterling's killing by police in Louisiana".