Unarmed Black Man Shot & Killed by NYC Police - Fearful Police Blast Suspect in Car

It happened late last night near Hewitt place and Longwood Avenue in the Longwood section of the Bronx. An off-duty officer witnesses hit-and-run, and decides he is going to chase down the suspect but in the end the suspect ends up dead with a bullet in his back. The police department, at least at this hour, is saying very little about what happened here. The scene appears to be another shooting of unarmed man by an NYPD officer. This time an off-duty traffic officer whom police say confronted the driver of this car shortly after he had fled the scene of another accident around 11:30 p.m. Friday night in the Longwood section of the South Bronx. In this statement released to Eyewitness Witness News, police say, "witnesses told investigators that the officer was at the driver's door of the vehicle, with the door open when the vehicle lurched forward. The officer discharged his weapon, striking the driver one time." That one shot according to the medical examiner struck Fermin Arzu of the Bronx in the back piercing his heart and lung and killing him. An eyewitness says he heard several shot fired. "We parked and turned off the car and that's when we heard the gunshots," said witness Geraldo Reyes. It was like six or seven gunshots." "It seemed to me that if several shots were fired, the officer intentionally fired whatever his reasons were," said police practices expert Edward Mamet. This latest incident will further rub raw emotions frayed by last November's shooting of Sean Bell and the injuring of his two friends on his wedding day when police fired 50 shots after an officer says he was struck by Bell's car. The question left to the courts to decide was the shooting justified. Less than six months later, that question is now being raised again. Closing in on nearly 24 hours after the shooting, police are saying very little about it. It's not likely that any weapon was found since police would be quick to report that. The hit-and-run suspect dead with a bullet wound in the back and a family and community again asking for an explanation. [MORE]

Mayor Defends Houston Police Officer who Shot Latino Man in the Back

 
Houston Mayor Bill White on Friday defended a Houston police officer who fatally shot a fleeing armed robbery suspect in the back a week ago. "Based on what I've seen so far on the evidence," White told reporters during an impromptu news conference Friday in front of City Hall, "I understand the officer's actions and I think he complied with our policies." But the attorney for the suspect's family and a Hispanic community leader said the incident must be investigated before the officer is cleared and questioned why police initially said the man was shot in the chest. "I think it's important for the mayor to support the police," said Robert Luke, attorney for the family of Hegnor Irias. "But I hope he would reserve judgment until after the investigation is complete." Officer K.R. Barnes shot Irias, 22, in a courtyard of the Bel Lindo Apartments at 6200 West Bellfort about 2:30 p.m May 12, after responding to a call from two people who reported Irias had robbed them at gunpoint. Cameras captured shooting White said Irias refused to stop and follow the officer's commands and was fleeing into an apartment complex, where he could have been a danger to residents and the officer. "There is no excuse for citizens who are failing to respond to police directives," White added. Barnes is a nine-year veteran who police say had never fired his weapon at a suspect before. State law allows police to use deadly force if officers believe suspects pose a danger to others.Police said officers responding to a robbery call in the 6400 block of West Bellfort chased Irias after a resident identified him as the man who robbed him. Police followed him to the Bel Lindo Apartments. "I don't know what else they've been wrong about," Luke said. He said several witnesses told him Irias had no gun and he had seen none in the surveillance video.  Investigators said they found a .38-caliber snub-nose revolver by Irias' body. They also said they found items on him that belonged to the two robbery victims.  Irias was the fifth suspect fatally shot by Houston police this year, according to the Harris County District Attorney's Office. A grand jury cleared an officer of wrongdoing in one case and the rest are still being investigated. [MORE] 

Inquiry called active in Vicious Televised Beating of Black Man by St. Louis Police

Local prosecutors have not finished investigating last year's televised police chase that ended with the beating of driver Edmon Burns by three Maplewood police officers and one St. Louis officer, a spokeswoman said. Jeannette Graviss, chief warrant officer for the St. Louis circuit attorney's office, said the office's investigation has been on hold while the FBI investigated the case. On Wednesday, a U.S. Justice Department spokeswoman said federal charges would not be coming. Graviss said no decision would be made in the case before early next month. The 20-minute chase on Jan. 30, 2006, was sparked when Burns drove away from an officer at a Maplewood gas station, then led police into St. Louis. On Thursday, leaders of the NAACP of St. Louis County criticized the Justice Department's decision not to prosecute, and asked U.S. Attorney Catherine Hanaway to explain. Hanaway released a statement Friday saying she had already offered to meet with the NAACP. [MORE]

50 SHOTS: Cops Indicted in Sean Bell Shooting Go to Court - Unarmed Black Man Gunned Down by NYC Police

The three police officers indicted in the shooting death of unarmed Queens resident Sean Bell will be headed to the Queen County courthouse today, and police presence will be increased. The lawyers for the three detectives, Michael Oliver, Gescard Isnora, and Marc Cooper, will be discussing issues such as change of venue, but a number of threats against the trio, including what WABC 7 describes as a "high ranking gang member" threatening to "have an associate shoot Oliver here at the courthouse during one of the hearings in retaliation for Sean Bell's death," has prompted further security.

The shooting and its aftermath has created community tensions as well as the possibility of heated protests (before the officers were indicted, the city was on alert for protests). And when the indicted officers were allowed to enter the courthouse by a side entrance, some people complained the cops were getting special treatment. The police detectives' union Michael Palladino told WABC, "You know what's also unfair treatment is that detectives and police officers in this city putting their lives on the line every single day acting in good faith and within the law can be charged. I've never seen that done before. That's unfair."

Bell was killed day before his wedding last November, while he and his friends were leaving a strip club in Queens. Police and witness accounts differ about the events (whether undercover police identified themselves, whether Bell drove into them), but what is known is that 50 shots were fired at Bell and two friends. And on Saturday, Bell's friends and family marched in Queens. Bell's mother Valerie told Newsday, ""He knew I took care of him. He knows I'm taking care of his children." Regarding the case, she said, "You do the crime, you do the time. No matter who you are." [MORE] and [MORE]

Black Man Beaten Unconscious for Six Weeks Files Suit Against Tennessee Jail

A Sullivan County man allegedly beaten into unconsciousness while detained at the Sullivan County Detention Center has filed a $1 million federal lawsuit against the county and sheriff's department. Nathaniel Robinson filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Greeneville earlier this month naming Sullivan County and the Sullivan County Sheriff's Department as the defendants. According to the complaint, Robinson began serving an 18-month sentence in March 2006 on a probation violation and a failure to appear charge. In August 2006, Robinson was placed in a cell with 35 to 40 other inmates, with him being one of two African-Americans in the cell. Robinson claims the other inmates in the cell were of a "skinhead faction" and that deputies placed him in the cell "to bestow some sort of prison justice" onto him. The lawsuit states shortly after being placed in the cell, the other African-American inmate was removed, and one of the Caucasian inmates began spouting racial slurs to Robinson. Other inmates soon joined in on the racial slurs and threats to Robinson, the lawsuit states. Robinson said he attempted to alleviate his "ever increasing" fear by telling the other inmates he did not want any trouble. However, the harassment grew stronger and eventually Robinson said he was struck in the back of the head by one of the inmates and beaten. "When Robinson came to, he was lying on the floor of the cell, unaware of what had just taken place," the lawsuit states. Sheriff's deputies removed Robinson from the cell and placed him in a holding cell with another inmate. At that time Robinson said he began feeling dizzy and nauseous, and his head was in excruciating pain. The lawsuit states Robinson blacked out and lay on the cell floor for approximately three hours without receiving any medical attention from deputies or medical personnel. Eventually, Robinson states he was transported to Indian Path Medical Center, where he woke up six weeks later, unaware of exactly what had taken place.  The lawsuit states that Robinson remains under a doctor's care and to date has sustained $385,940 in medical bills.Robinson claims the sheriff's department failed to properly train and supervise its law enforcement personnel, deliberately placed him into a harmful and threatening situation, and neglected his injuries following the attack. Sullivan County and the sheriff's department have a well-documented history of violating the civil rights of inmates, the lawsuit alleges. "This history can only be attributed to either a severe lack of training, supervision and understanding of the law or a blatant disregard of the law and the rights of inmates," the lawsuit states. [MORE]

Handcuffed Black Man Battered by Seven Philadelphia Cops - Caught on Video

The Philadelphia Police Department is looking into allegations of police brutality as surveillance video has some saying officers went too far.

The man they subdued ended up injured in the hospital.

On the videotape, roughly seven police officers are involved in the incident. Philadelphia police are promising a full and thorough investigation.

Meanwhile, the man's attorney is promising a civil lawsuit.

A man said he received injuries while being arrested by Philadelphia Police. The man, Kyle Byrd has a broken rib, fractured left arm, a blood clot, cuts and bruises.

And his lawyer said a surveillance tape proves those injuries were caused by police while his client was handcuffed.

"Anyone with common sense knows that this is police brutality," Attorney Cary McCain said.

The incident happened after Byrd had been drinking and had a fight with his live-in girlfriend at their apartment in the 1900 block of Judson Street.

McClain, Byrd's lawyer, said the alleged beating is the most egregious part of the alleged assault on his client.

"One of the most dangerous spots in the video was the initial time he's taken handcuffed and slammed to the ground on head on the sidewalk and he hits the left portion of his head and is handcuffed," McCain said.

His attorney said Byrd was unconscious for a short period of time. But he says the alleged attack resumed after he came to and lasted 10 minutes.

"During that 10 minutes, the officers take a baton at one point, an officer is using over head strikes with a baton, approximately eight times. So hard, that at one point in time the baton is knocked out of the officer's hand. Not one officer comes by and administers any sort of help to him," McCain said.

There were several witnesses at the scene.

"Yeah they were too violent. Trust me they was too violent," one witness said. [MORE]

Chicago Police Allegedly Beat Down 11 Year Old Black Boy

An 11-year-old Chicago boy claims an off-duty Chicago police officer beat him during a fight in a park on the city's South Side. That confrontation happened last weekend.  Now the Chicago Police Department's Office of Professional Standards is investigating the claims. This allegedly began as a simple playground disagreement between two boys. But Donna Moore says it led to her son having to make a trip not only to the police station but to the hospital for minor injuries. She says he received those injuries at the hands of an off-duty Chicago police officer. Donna Moore says her 11-year-old son is afraid to go out of the house ever since a confrontation at a playground in the 9400-block of S. Leavitt over the weekend. It was a confrontation that turned into an alleged attack by the father of another boy Donna's son had an argument with, a father who was an off-duty police officer. Corliss Vaughn was driving by and says she witnessed the incident and rushed out of her car. "I don't know what the young man did, but what he did did not deserve all those punches. He's just a young kid. This is a grown man punching a young kid," said Vaughn. Other witnesses suggest the officer was trying to detain the boy until uniformed officers arrived to handle the disagreement. That is not the way Donna Moore saw it. She says she arrived before the uniformed officers to see the man holding her son, who was scared. "He started beating me up, like she said, and doing like were doing a wrestling match," said the alleged victim. Ms. Moore says the man told her he was an officer and refused to release her son. "A grown man can come up on a child and beat a child and then hide behind a badge?" said Donna Moore, mother. [MORE]

UNARMED 15 Year Old Black Boy Shot Dead by Dallas Transit Police

A Dallas Area Rapid Transit officer shot and killed an unarmed 15-year-old boy who police said leapt from the bushes and attacked an officer at an Oak Cliff light-rail station early Sunday morning. It was the first fatal shooting by a DART police officer in the department's 18-year history, officials said. On Sunday afternoon, Dallas police called it an act of self-defense by Officer Niksha Owens, who feared for her life as she watched Bobby Walker attack her colleague and ignore warnings to back down. "According to the witnesses, when this man – this young child – was attacking the DART police officer ... he yelled profanities and said he was going to kill her," said Dallas police Senior Cpl. Janice Crowther. "He repeatedly said he was going to kill her." But Bobby's distraught mother, Temeka Walker, said Sunday night that police used excessive force against her son. "They could've at least held him down," said Ms. Walker, 30. "Mace him. Hit him." Ms. Walker said Bobby, a Carter High School freshman, took medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and ran away from home Thursday, as he had several times in the past. She said she called Dallas police several times, but they would not issue a missing-person alert because of his history of running away. The fatal confrontation with the DART officers lasted less than a minute, police said. About 3:20 a.m., Officer Owens and Officer Stephanie Branch were walking on the platform of the station at Ledbetter Drive and Lancaster Road in east Oak Cliff when Bobby attacked Officer Branch, Cpl. Crowther said. "When the suspect attacked Officer Branch, he did grab her around the neck and grab her around the arms and she felt like he was attempting to take her weapon," Cpl. Crowther said. "She was able to push him off and then ask him, give him verbal commands, to stop his attack and to get down." Officer Owens drew her weapon and both officers continued to ask Bobby to back down, Cpl. Crowther said. He refused and Officer Owens shot him once in the neck, police said. Bobby was pronounced dead at Methodist Dallas Medical Center about 4 a.m., DART spokesman Morgan Lyons said. The officers were not injured, he said. Dallas police Sgt. Gary Kirkpatrick, who is investigating the shooting, said there is no indication Bobby was armed. Both DART officers were put on administrative leave with pay, pending an internal investigation, as is customary in police-involved shootings, Mr. Lyons said. Both officers have been with the department for about two years and do not have any prior disciplinary records, Mr. Lyons said. [MORE]

Some questions about the 15 year-old shot and killed by DART police officer
By Shawn Williams

Another young black male has died at the hand of gunfire, this time by a Dallas Area Rapid Transit Police officer. 15 year-old Bobby Walker was fatally shot around 3:20 a.m. on Sunday morning at the Ledbetter Station near the VA Hospital.

According to Monday's Dallas Morning News article, the Carter High freshman "leapt from the bushes" and attacked DART officer Stephanie Branch before being shot by officer Niksha Owens. Walker was pronounced dead at Methodist Dallas Medical Center about 4 a.m.

I don't want to rush to any judgments here, so I have a few questions:

1. Did the 2nd officer try to physically intervene before resorting to fatal gunfire?

2. Did the shooting officer at any point feel as if she had a non-fatal shot at the suspect without endangering the officer?

3. What is a 15 year-old boy doing out at 3:20 a.m.?

4. Shouldn't two police officers generally be able to subdue one juvenile suspect?

5. What was the ethnicity of the two officers? It ALWAYS matters.

I will reserve commentary for a later date , but for now I pray for the families of Bobby Walker and the officer who fatally shot him. [more]