Another police involved shooting - Baton Rouge Police Shoot Alton Sterling

Cell phone footage circulated on social media shows Tuesday morning’s deadly police shooting of a man outside of a Baton Rouge convenience store.

The video appears to show Alton Sterling, 37, on the ground with two Baton Rouge police officers over him. One of the officers appears to be yelling that Sterling has a gun. After that, a series of gunshots is heard.

Sterling was dead when paramedics arrived at the scene. The East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner's Office released Tuesday afternoon that the cause of death for Sterling was multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and back.

The video surfaced hours after the coroner released the cause of death.

The owner of the store where the shooting happened said he saw officers pull a gun from Sterling's pocket after the shooting. Police have not confirmed whether or not Sterling was in possession of a gun.

According to early police reports, officers were called to the Triple S Food Mart off North Foster after getting a report of an armed man. Investigators said there was an altercation between police and that suspect, Sterling, in the parking lot.

Abdul Muflahi, who owns the store and knew Sterling, said he saw the shooting happen. According to Muflahi, one officer tased Sterling and a second officer then tackled him. He said that when the first officer then fired shots.

www.wafb.com...

Caught on video.

Warning: graphic content

It seems like to me he might have been "swatted" so to speak. An anonymous call saying someone selling CDs pulled a gun. Then, when police move in to question/arrest, someone hollers "He has a gun." The article says it was the police who said it, but, not sure?

People are calling for the resignation of the BR Police Chief and the Mayor. Baton Rouge has a very high crime rate for it's size, which spiraled post Hurricane Katrina but has begun to improve. The city really did change after a huge influx of residents migrating out of the affected area, it was a hard adjustment and changed the fabric of city permanently. Additionally, in recent years, the Mayor and most of the officials are black (but Police Chief is white) as whites have moved into outer areas like Gonzales or Denham Springs, so there is very little interest among the community at large, the surrounding parishes where a lot of people live, in solving some of the problems in the city where they work and spend their money.

As a native of Baton Rouge, I can tell you, the very last thing that city needs is any more racial tension. The town is literally divided by Florida Blvd. North of Florida Blvd. is almost entirely black, South is majority white. The area where the shooting happened is one of the biggest problem areas. Public schools are financially decimated due to desegregation efforts in the eighties, so prospects are bleak. It really is a Tale of Two Cities - black and white. But, it appears as though the protesters are a good racial mixture.

Let's hope it stays a united front. It's a good but troubled town with great people who are trying to make something there.

a reply to: kosmicjack

Unless there is more to the video and they aren't showing it, to me it looks like the suspect was already subdued by 2 police officers and was incapable of even moving his arms to "reach" for anything. Could be a cold-blooded execution. Another terrible tragedy..

a reply to: FamCore

I kind of agree. He was down, but not on his stomach, so is that really subdued? Who actually yelled he's got a gun?

'The officers were wearing body cameras, but they fell off during the altercation"

uh huh. Sure.
Why do all these body camera fail at just the right time? I heard someone yell "He's got a gun" but it sounds like someone who is very close to whoever was taking the video, not like from the officers, who were further away..

originally posted by: DAVID64
'The officers were wearing body cameras, but they fell off during the altercation"

uh huh. Sure.

Yeah, both of them? Not good.

Here's a video of a witness, I think the store clerk.

a reply to: kosmicjack

Oh, that's not good. The store clerk says they were holding both his arms, the guy did not have a gun in his hand and the gun was not even visible till the officer took it out of the victim's pocket. Wonder if the local cops will pay a visit to "get an eye witness account" winkwink.
Being that this was 2 White cops and a Black man was shot, doesn't help matters.

After watching it again, I'm inclined to give the Officers the benefit of the doubt here. They responded to a call about a guy waving a gun at people. They show up, the guy resists arrest. They taze him, he's un-phased. They wrestle him down, he tries to get up or otherwise makes a sudden movement which prompts both cops to react at the same moment so, something happened. Whether he actually has a gun or not, it seems they thought he did.

I think the main problem here lies in the police department handling after the fact and the BS about the body cams. Police have confiscated the surveillance video from the store. It needs vetting. The investigation should just be turned over to the State Police to avoid any appearance of cover-up.

As for the clerk, really, what else is he going to say? "I called the cops on the guy and the cops were totally justified?" He has to show up to work there. and, TBH, it's not a safe place to be in the best of circumstances.

originally posted by: DAVID64

Being that this was 2 White cops and a Black man was shot, doesn't help matters.

For sure, that is the main factor here, given the climate of the City.

No evidence (Video or Otherwise), can be provided to incriminate "Law Enforcement" or the "Black Victim".

Race riots anyone? Soros hopes so.

I wish I could say that video is unbelievable, but it sadly is not.

Remember when the states started instituting the death penalty and suddenly the murder rate decreased? Yeah, so we need to start prosecuting these murderous cops and give them mandatory death...wonder if these incidents would decrease if the officer had to consider
such extreme consequences?

a reply to: Now2016

How would Race Wars benefit Soros? I'm not doubting your statement, just curious what it stems from. George Soros is a terrible human being, and a vast amount of his wealth has come at expense to others so I wouldn't be surprised but just wondering about the specifics

a reply to: kosmicjack

In situations like these I would hope that cool heads and common sense would prevail.

Look at the facts.

If the police are guilty, they should be punished.

If they are not guilty, then they shouldn't.

Now my opinion?
It's a war out there. Criminals are playing at a very liberal justice system. They are playing on fears of riots, and that causes police to constantly second guess themselves. Things aren't getting better, they are getting worse.

The police should ignore calls in black neighborhoods unless the officers are black.
It's a no win situation for white police.

Nvm.

originally posted by: Bluntone22
The police should ignore calls in black neighborhoods unless the officers are black.

Devil's advocate here, but what if they have the opportunity to actually save a life or help? That could be a win-win situation, since the community will be grateful of the outcome and it could actually shift the perspective of police there

a reply to: kosmicjack

He had a gun on him, even though he was a convicted felon. So, that's a problem. He's fighting with police despite being tasered multiple times. That's another problem. Those two things are really enough to get you shot. Wait until we find out at least one of the rounds fired came from his gun. Yeah, it was in his pocket... but if it's me and he so much as thinks about reaching for it, after the fight he's already putting up, I don't think twice about shooting him.

originally posted by: FamCore

originally posted by: Bluntone22
The police should ignore calls in black neighborhoods unless the officers are black.

Devil's advocate here, but what if they have the opportunity to actually save a life or help? That could be a win-win situation, since the community will be grateful of the outcome and it could actually shift the perspective of police there

Bwwwhahaahahah!
You know damn well that's not going to happen. I can guarantee you that 99% of the police responses are handled just fine but the focus will only be on ones like this.

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards expresses serious concerns over video, asks and gets U.S. Justice Department to step in as the principle investigative agency. With an assist from Louisiana State Police and the FBI. Calls for calm and cooperation.

Civic leaders in the B.R. area black community are calling for an economic boycott.

a reply to: kosmicjack

This is the same state that instituted the Blue Lives Matter Bill. Gotta have them priorities. Lol.