Man shot point blank and killed by police during arrest in Baton Rouge

[BmorePat87]

http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/06/us/baton-rouge-shooting-alton-sterling/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaAik-EvI3o

Alton Sterling, a 37 year old man who sold CDs outside of a convenience store (with the permission of the owner of the store), was shot point blank in the chest by cops while being arrested earlier this week.

Cops had received a call that Sterling pointed a gun at someone earlier. Details are muddled after that.

A video shows cops yelling at him "get on the ground" as he asks what he did. One cop then tackles him into the hood of a car and gets on top of him while the other cop tries to presumably help him cuff Sterling. One cop then says "he has a gun" before another cop tells him not to move and shoots him in the chest. They then shot him a few more times. After he was dead, the cops retrieved his gun from his pocket.

According to the store owner, there was no incident as described in the tip to police. He said Sterling never caused issues and was friendly. He says he witnessed the cops slamming him into the hood and then getting on top of him. He then says they used a stun gun on him and shot him after telling him not to move.

Obviously this situation is getting even more attention as Sterling was black and the cops were white. We don't know what transpired prior to the witness video. Was he told why he was being arrested? Did he resist prior to that? Did they just approach him and order him to the ground?

[JustWinBaby]

Gun or not, if he didn't even have it drawn it's homicide (2nd degree).

Will be interesting if he did have a gun and if there's a recording of a tip saying he pointed it at someone.

[BmorePat87]

(07-06-2016, 02:13 PM)JustWinBaby Wrote: Gun or not, if he didn't even have it drawn it's homicide (2nd degree).

Will be interesting if he did have a gun and if there's a recording of a tip saying he pointed it at someone.

He was in possession of a gun. The cops pulled it out of pocket after he was shot. From what it sounds like, it wasn't drawn. It's possible the one cop saw it in his pocket, prompting him to yell "gun".

Sorry, forgot to add that. Editing the post now. 

[*michaelsean*]

so did they see the gun in his pocket and just shoot him? That certainly doesn't seem right.

[BigPapaKain]

This planet sucks.

[Millhouse]

Per the CNN piece the owner of the store said he saw a cop pull a gun from his pocket after they shot him. And then said the cops were discussing they were called to the scene because Sterling supposedly pulled his gun on someone. Sometimes cops are justified when they shoot someone, sometimes they aren't. I think this is one of those time they weren't justified shooting him multiple times when his gun was still in his pocket. Unless there is another video showing the gun pulled on the cops, then they should never wear badge again if not stand trial themselves. (if what the store owner said is true that is)

[Benton]

Sad story, and reemphasizes the need for consistent police training.

[GMDino]

So paid leave, a few arguments over what to charge, internal investigation that finds no wrong doing and then back to work.

[Millhouse]

(07-06-2016, 02:40 PM)GMDino Wrote: So paid leave, a few arguments over what to charge, internal investigation that finds no wrong doing and then back to work.

Nope, per the cnn article: 
"The U.S. Justice Department's Civil Rights Division will be the lead agency investigating the shooting, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards told reporters Wednesday. The U.S. attorney's office in Baton Rouge, the FBI and state police also will be involved, he said."

[BmorePat87]

(07-06-2016, 02:40 PM)GMDino Wrote: So paid leave, a few arguments over what to charge, internal investigation that finds no wrong doing and then back to work.

The initial responses I have read seem in agreement that, if the assumed events are accurate, this is bad for those two cops.

This isn't Freddie Grey.

[JustWinBaby]

(07-06-2016, 02:49 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: The initial responses I have read seem in agreement that, if the assumed events are accurate, this is bad for those two cops.

Well, I would guess mainly just for the cop that pulled the trigger.  Unless both shot him.

[BmorePat87]

(07-06-2016, 02:53 PM)JustWinBaby Wrote: Well, I would guess mainly just for the cop that pulled the trigger.  Unless both shot him.

true

[NATI BENGALS]

So the muslim that got arrested was detained because of a phone call. The kid in cleveland was killed because of a phone call. This guy sounds like he was killed because of a phone call.

Put a cop on edge by saying suspect is pointing a gun or a terrorist and you have a good chance of getting some killed or arrested.

[GMDino]

(07-06-2016, 02:49 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: The initial responses I have read seem in agreement that, if the assumed events are accurate, this is bad for those two cops.

This isn't Freddie Grey.

I guess I'll wait until everything is out in the open and then make sweeping statements.

[Donnyho]

The Daily Beast has a new video provided by store owner Abduallah Muflahi. Warning: it's more graphic than the first video.

[GMDino]

(07-06-2016, 02:59 PM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: So the muslim that got arrested was detained because of a phone call. The kid in cleveland was killed because of a phone call. This guy sounds like he was killed because of a phone call.

Put a cop on edge by saying suspect is pointing a gun or a terrorist and you have a good chance of getting some killed or arrested.

So we should ban cell phones! 

[BmorePat87]

People are claiming you can tell from this new video that he wasn't going for your gun. You can't. It looks unlikely based on how he is being restrained, but I guess we won't know for sure until body cam footage (which the cops say was dislodged but still running during the arrest)

[*rfaulk34*]

(07-06-2016, 02:19 PM)michaelsean Wrote: so did they see the gun in his pocket and just shoot him?  That certainly doesn't seem right.

Probably just felt it when they were trying to get him under control and cuffed. 

[*jason*]

(07-06-2016, 02:13 PM)JustWinBaby Wrote: Gun or not, if he didn't even have it drawn it's homicide (2nd degree).

Will be interesting if he did have a gun and if there's a recording of a tip saying he pointed it at someone.

That sounds a lot the the killing of John Crawford at a Wal Mart near me. Except he was holding a pellet gun that they sold in the store when police rushed and killed him.

I'm not knocking anyone. The police do a job that I don't want to do. Often times they are damned if they do, damned if they dont. From what little I've heard of this. It sounds a lot like the case I mentioned above, and the episode with the Arab in NE Ohio. Bad witnesses and quick reaction.

[*jason*]

(07-06-2016, 08:01 PM)GMDino Wrote: So we should ban cell phones! 

As I scroll through some of the threads on here on my phone, I often think the same thing.