An investigation was underway Thursday after a unarmed black man was shot in the leg by a Miami North Police Officer. The video of the incident shows the therapist lying on his back in the middle of the street with his hands in the air above his head.
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Police had responded to a 9-1-1 call about an “armed man” (Probably the toy truck) threatening suicide.
“I was really more anxious about him than myself”, he told WSVN.
When I watched the video, which has now gone viral, I couldn’t help but think about our own son with developmental disabilities, who was driven today to Camp Ramah in Ojai, CA by his wonderful aide who happens to be Black.
Kinsey is now recovering at a nearby hospital.
Charles Kinsey, a behavioural therapist, had his hands up and said he was unarmed when police marksmen opened fire. Kinsey and his attorney said that the police explanation doesn’t add up. State authorities say they’re investigating.
Mr Muhammad said there was an “inherent fear of black men in this country that allows us to to be gunned down without provocation”. No gun was recovered from the scene, according to Miami police chief Gary Eugene. “He got a toy truck in his hand”.
The man beside him rocks back and forth. Requests for interviews with Kinsey and his attorney were not immediately answered. Video of the shooting was not released by the attorney.
The shooting comes at a time of growing tensions and increased protests against the disproportionate number of African Americans killed by the police. Three law enforcement officers were fatally shot and three others wounded Sunday in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, by a shooter whom police also gunned down.
The officer, however, released a statement Thursday.
Kinsey said what police did after the shooting is what upsets him the most.
The officer could face charges. “Once FDLE completes its investigation, they will provide us with their factual findings and conclusions”.
“Why did you shoot me?”. He stayed that way for about 20 minutes until an ambulance arrived on scene. I thought it was a mosquito bite.
“And I said, “no I just got shot” and I’m saying, “sir, why did you shoot me?’ and his words to me, he said, ‘I don’t know”.
Protesters shouted in anger over the recent shooting of Charles Kinsey while entering the lobby of the building before they were asked to leave by officers.
At some point, one of the officers discharged his weapon, police said.
Then Eugene left the podium, refusing to answer more questions on his way out. “The video clearly shows him with his hands as high in the air as he can possibly get them”.
“Lay down on your stomach”, Mr Kinsey says to his patient in the video, which was shot from a distance.
Simon called on law enforcement agencies to examine policies on the use of force and responses to people with mental health issues.
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But the group home manager says police were told something else.
