The son of the African-American man fatally shot by a Baton Rouge police officer last week praised his father as a “good man” Wednesday and asked that those protesting his death do so in a non-violent way.
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Cameron Sterling’s request for peace comes days after a gunman killed five police officers at a Thursday Dallas protest.
The press conference on Wednesday is Cameron’s first since he broke into sobs at a nationally broadcast press conference with his mother, following his father’s death. “We’re standing here as a family together once again”. There should be no more arguments, disagreements, violence, crimes-everyone should come together as one united family.
“You can protest but I want everyone to protest the right way”. Several protesters were arrested, and groups including the ACLU filed a lawsuit against the department on Wednesday over its response to the protests. “No violence, none whatsoever”. “Here’s an actual incident where an individual said that these guns were aimed at killing Baton Rouge police officers and when I say Baton Rouge, any police officers in the Baton Rouge area”, Edmonson said Tuesday at a news conference. Police officers responded with military-style vehicles, riot gear and rifles.
Keilosha Walker, left, of Baton Rouge, raises her fist during a night rally in honor of Alton Sterling, outside the Triple S Food mart in Baton Rouge, La., July 11, 2016. 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. Police say four young men had conspired to attack officers with guns stolen from a pawn shop and posed a “substantial, credible threat” to officers.
The officer asked Sterling to put his hand on the hood of his police auto and asked if Sterling had any weapons on him.
The suspects-a 13-year-old juvenile, 17-year-old Antonio Thomas, and 20-year-old Malik Bridgewater-were arrested in connection to the pawn shop theft.
Sterling’s death and the two cellphone videos documenting it have sparked widespread protests.
Racial tensions are now reaching an all-time high throughout the country as more and more Black Lives Matter supporters have begun protesting the senseless killings of black men at the hands of police.
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People in jail said they were Maced or pepper-sprayed for making comments or singing protest songs. Doug Cain was quoted by NOLA.com as saying protesters “voicing their First Amendment rights is protected by us” and that short of direct calls for violence, “they are free to express whatever feelings they convey”. The protests were also prompted by the fatal Minnesota police shooting of Philando Castile, whose girlfriend streamed the aftermath on Facebook.
