Louisiana cops shot and killed a 37-year-old man selling music outside a Baton Rouge convenience store following what police described as an “altercation” early Tuesday. After that, a series of gunshots is heard. He claims two officers confronted Sterling shortly after arriving.
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The video emerged only hours after the coroner released the cause of death, gunshots to Sterling’s back and torso, 9WAFB reported.
Witness Abdul Muflahi, who owns the supermarket in question, said an escalating conflict resulted in one officer using a stun gun on Sterling, and the other tackling him, according to WAFB-TV.
BRPD officials said that two uniformed officers were placed on administrative leave following the incident.
The officers were wearing body cameras during the shooting, but the recording devices apparently came loose and were dangling from their uniforms during the incident, the Advocate reported, citing Baton Rouge police spokesman Cpl. He said while Sterling was on the ground, Sterling struggled with the officer who had tackled him and was trying to get the officer “off the top of him”.
“God bless his soul”.
After shooting Sterling, an officer reached into the CD salesman’s pocket and retrieved a handgun, the shop owner claims. Marcelle said the chief told her there is footage of the shooting from the dashboard camera of one of the patrol cars as well as from at least one store surveillance camera.
“It’s an ongoing investigation”, McKneely told WAFB.
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A crowd gathered at the scene of the shooting Tuesday evening as people are confused and wanted answers. Jean McKneely. “We’re going to review the video, we’re going to review the audio”. Advocate staff photo by TRAVIS SPRADLING – A bear, CD’s and sign reading “RIP Big Alton” rest outside the Triple S Food Store, as family and friends of Alton Sterling protest on the corner of Fairfields Ave. and North Foster Drive Tuesday afternoon, July 5, 2016. “That’s the worries”, said Sliky Slim, a community activist. “I’m a nurse. We all freak out in situations, but you’re taught to be calm and handle the situation the way that you’re taught”, said Baton Rouge resident Carolyn Williams. He did say he would be at a news conference Wednesday. We need an exhaustive internal and external investigation of this fatal shooting.
