The ACLU of Louisiana joined with other local groups to file a lawsuit against the Baton Rouge Police Department Wednesday. Protests were a result of the fatal police shooting of Alton Sterling outside a convenience store July 5, 2016. In Baton Rouge, officers on Tuesday arrested three people they said were planning to shoot at police.
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“We have been questioned repeatedly over the last several days about our show of force and why we have the tactics that we have”. Chief Dabadie said that during questioning, Thomas revealed “real, credible evidence” that officers would be under attack.
Police protests were calm and lightly attended in Denver on Monday, when a group of about 50 waved signs decrying police killings while a smaller group entered a fourth day of quietly mourning blacks killed by police in the previous year.
Trashone Coats, 23, was arrested with two of the handguns from the robbery.
Antonio Thomas, 17, was arrested inside the store with a handgun and a BB gun on him. Detectives recovered three of the stolen handguns with Bridgewater.
20-year-old Malik Bridgewater was arrested on Sunday at his home and was charged with burglary and theft of a firearm.
“They were there so fast when nothing had occurred that they were obviously preparing for something that hadn’t happened, and police refused to negotiate”.
It wasn’t immediately known if they had attorneys.
The two officers involved in Alton Sterling’s death have been put on paid administrative leave.
On Saturday, July 9, Baton Rouge police responded to a burglary alarm at Cash America Pawn.
A temporary restraining order also was filed to prevent police “from interfering with people’s constitutionally protected right to gather peacefully moving forward”, the ACLU said in a news release.
Police had received a call claiming a man was outside the store threatening the caller with a gun.
“They need to take the first step to heal the damage and they’re not going to do that by showing up in riot gear picking a fight with people at the end of a protest”, she added.
“We’ve had a police officer with teeth knocked out of his face because of a rock. You have to make things better by making peace”.
“Look what happened in Dallas”, Gautreaux said.
The son of Alton Sterling, the Louisiana man whose death at the hands of police last week sparked protests, has called for peace at ongoing demonstrations. The Justice Department has launched a federal investigation into the shooting, and the local prosecutor recused himself from any decision on criminal charges, citing his close professional relationship with the parents of one of the officers.
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Community leaders in Baton Rouge have sought to defuse the tension. Plaintiffs also say protesters were verbally and physically abused.
