Bleckley County (Ga) Sheriff's Deputy Kills Black Man: Witnesses say he was Unarmed, Handcuffed & Allowed to Bleed to Death

From [HERE] A Cochran man who was shot and killed by a Bleckley County Sheriff's deputy Friday night, pointed a gun at an officer, according to a statement released Saturday by the Bleckley County Sheriff's Office. It started out as a simple arrest for theft. "It was a softball, baseball bat and some other athletic equipment," says Sheriff Harold Lancaster.

The news release says officers were attempting to apply handcuffs to 31-year-old Rasheen Wright when a struggle ensued and a deputy tased Wright. After the taser's discharge had expired, the statement says Wright pulled out a gun and pointed it at the deputy who tased him. That's when the other officer shot Wright.

Neighbor James Rozier (in photo) says he saw the whole incident unfold as he watched from his home across the street. "He made a motion to get to a knee, by the time he had made that motion to get to the knee, there was a sheriff, white cop, I mean, he fired," Rozier said. Rozier says he believes Wright was handcuffed, but isn't sure if he had only one wrist or both wrists cuffed. "I seen them taking the handcuffs off, he was handcuffed," Rozier said. He also says he never saw a weapon, and doesn't believe Wright had a gun. 

"He wasn't making no threatening movements, they had already tased him, he was handcuffed," Rozier said. 

His brother who was also present said there was no gun. [MORE] The case has been turned over to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. GBI Agent Todd Lowery says Wright was shot while in the process of being handcuffed. Lowery wouldn't say whether or not Wright had a weapon. 

Another neighbor, who asked to stay anonymous, says he tried to treat Wright's wound, which he described as a single gunshot to the upper torso. The neighbor says deputies told him to stay back.

"I told them you know, I'm trained in medical experience, and the man bleeding to death, and they just sit there and watched them bleed," the neighbor said. "He was on the ground about a good ten minutes, they just watch him, I mean, ten minutes is all it takes, if you're trained you know that."

The Sheriff's Office says Wright died at the Medical Center of Central Georgia. Both deputies involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave pending the GBI investigation.