AlterNet – by Aviva ShenProtesters rallied in St. Louis, MO on Wednesday over the death of 25-year-old Cary Ball Jr, who was shot 25 times by police officers last month. Police say Ball refused to pull over for a traffic stop, eventually crashed into a parked car, and started running. According to police, Ball pointed a semi-automatic handgun at the officers, prompting them to open fire.
Several witnesses who spoke to the family, however, say Ball threw his gun on the ground and was walking toward police with his hands up to surrender when he was shot. Some unverified reports say 7 of the 25 shots hit him in the back. Police say there was no surveillance video in the area to verify exactly what happened.
Ball was an honor student with a 3.86 GPA, majoring in human services at Forest Park Community College, where he had been celebrated as an “emerging scholar.” According to family and friends, Ball was working to reform his life after being convicted of armed robbery when he was 17. His older brother, Carlos Ball, said Cary probably ran from the police because, as an ex-convict, it was illegal for him to possess a gun.
The two officers have been placed on administrative leave as homicide detectives investigate the shooting, but this is hardly the first time questions have been raised over the St. Louis Police Department’s conduct. In February, a city cop was accused of choking a man in a wheelchair, who was then arrested immediately after testifying at the officer’s disciplinary hearing. A video showing a cop beating and pepper-spraying a man went viral in 2011, revealing that the cop had stayed on the force despite multiple lawsuits alleging brutality.
The family is being represented by a firm that has also sued the city on behalf of inmates who allege guards forced them to fight each other “gladiator-style” for the staff’s amusement.
Police misconduct has come under intensified scrutiny as the media picks up more reports of young African American boys and men being shot to death under questionable circumstances. Last year, police claimed 21-year-old Chavis Carter shot himself in the head in the back of a patrol car, even though he was handcuffed and had been frisked for weapons. Sixteen-year-old Kimani Gray was shot 7 times (3 times in the back) by New York police whose claim the teenager threatened them with a gun is disputed by many eyewitnesses. On Wednesday, a 14-year-old African American boy carrying a puppy was choked by Miami police because he was giving them “dehumanizing stares.”
http://www.alternet.org/st-louis-police-shoot-black-honor-student-25-times
An ex-convict carrying a gun is not exactly honor student smart. Is it?
Probably needed it to “communicate” with fellow honor students and assorted others.
I’m also not saying he should have been killed – but not too smart at all.
Hey there hp, just because your a ex-convict doesn`t mean you did anything wrong!!! Just look at how many are wrongly convicted of a crime that they never did or never had any involvement in. You, hp, can take that comment on a ex-convict bs you said and shove it. I can tell you are a far shot of being a honor student with your way of thinking. Apparently you have a damned cop mentality thinkin` like you do, and I am going to shut up on you, you f`er
I read “oinking” between the lines digger. Most certainly exhibits that “cop mentality”.
Obama has spoken of a “Civilian” military force that would be stronger, better funded and bigger than today’s military force and I think he is using the “Police Departments” across the country to accomplish this. The problem with this is that there will be ZERO accountability for the crimes they commit upon the people of Amerika.
The day will come when the bullets will be coming back when people get fed up with the killing. It is only a matter of time.
I wasn’t judging him dan, unlike you. Just observing.
In fact you always pull out the heavy insults and judgements like a pistol.
Preaching, or rather shouting at and insulting the choir is suspect, dan.
A fool is a fool and this fool, guilty or not guilty should not have set himself up like a former dumb ass.
Hardly the stuff of honor students. Kinda like you.
“Look at all the little piggies in their piggy world.”
Like I said above judge yourself as you are definately not a honor student thinking like you state. I bet you have never been arrested or if so I bet you bought yourself a get out of jail free card didn`t you. I stand by what I said. Insults?, hell you do a good enough job insulting yourself. Like I said to ya ” suck on this” hp. And yes I bet you are one of those rats that would snitch out someone. Start sh*t with your self `cause your not doing it with me. By the way – yes hp, you already judged him by calling him a ex convict and not being too smart so on that note F U hp, I think you are a f`n troll and you can go F yourself talking that way.
Yeah Digger, look who’s calling someone not smart @ 7:59am. hehe! Since I haven’t been on much this week, I can’t say if hp would be best nomination for TrollOfTheWeek or not, but for the comment hp made above def up there!
Hi ya there RT. This is off sub. but I am sorry for not getting ahold of you and the others here like I should have been but I just got a lot on my plate ya`ll know right now. I will be getting ahold of ya`ll soon #1, RT, Rhumms, NC and all. :). I have been here but just layin low if ya`ll know what I`m saying. Like I said I`ve got a ful plate here and I don`t even want to start on that plate. Again I`m sorry for not getting to you guys lately.
I know what ya mean Digger!
Glad to see ya on tho 🙂
My best to ya!
Ouch!
hp, “Just Observing eh?” in your oblivious little world………
“A fool is a fool and this fool,” (<Quote you)
And a tool is a tool, TOOL!
Pfft!
Police departments are an unconstitutional standing army !
Murderers with badges with protection from conviction! all police MURDERS are deemed justified shootings by bogus shooting review boards! every time a cop MURDERS someone, they immediately go for the “I was in fear for my life”..
Try using that defense for yourself, see where it gets you! EVEN if you are found not guilty, you are financially bankrupt because you don’t have the police union’s paying your legal bills!
How many INNOCENT men/women/children do the Murderers with badges have to MURDER before something is done??
Strange behavior from an ‘honor student'(?). We are witnessing a colllapse in law enforcement integrity nationwide so I have to question the so called ‘official report’. I find the anarchist element here interesting also.
I read somewhere that anarchy is not an absence of order it is an absence of orders. Suits me.