Thaddeus McCarroll
On April 18th, Thaddeus McCarroll a 23 year old Jennings, MO man was killed after his mother reported he had barricaded himself alone inside her house. Officers tried to engage McCarroll but he refused. A few hours later he came out of the house with a knife and Bible. Officers first shot his leg with a rubber bullet which didn't stop him and he allegedly charged at officers, at which point they shot and killed him.
I couldn't help but wonder, how burglary suspects armed with guns; who shot at a home owner, police and random people on the street survived, seeming without shots being fired from the police. However, a clearly mentally disturbed young man in Jennings armed with a bible and knife was killed by St. Louis County Police, the same police force that responded in South St. Louis County. The police officers were on the scene in Jennings for hours, had prior notice of what the situation was before arriving and had more than ample time to formulate a game plan where no one had to die. Below is news footage from the South County incident, followed by body camera footage of the Jennings incident.
Two Many Unarmed Police Killings
During the month of April 2015, there have been three incidents of police killings of unarmed black men captured on video that have gained national attention. In each of these incidents, if no video existed; these deaths may have gone mostly unnoticed by the public.If some police officers are still so brazen in their behavior to be caught on video killing unarmed people, how many others have met similar fates which have not captured on video? Everyone reading this should make sure they download the ACLU mobile app on their phone and start recording!
Freddie Gray
Partial transcript of Baltimore television news station's account of the Freddy Gray incident.
"Freddie Gray was initially accused of making eye contact with one of the police officers. Here's Freddie Gray, a twenty five year old man, how was not accused of any crime, because looking at a police officer is not a crime, even in Baltimore, running from police after that, after apparently having done nothing wrong, at least according to the police is also not a crime. And yet, according to judge Napolitano, the arrest would have been an illegal arrest. That said, they did take him away in this van and when he got out of the van he had what his attorney called a severed spine; and Freddy Gray on Sunday, last Sunday, not yesterday, but the Sunday before died".
The video below, roughly at 6 minutes, is where the above transcripted portion can be viewed.
Freddie Gray funeral: 'Most of us knew a lot of Freddie Grays. Too many'
Freddie Gray’s Death Reveals A Dark History Of “Nickel Rides” And Police Van Torture
On September 28, 2014, The Baltimore Sun published an article titled, "Undue Force", detailing years of police brutality.
Walter L. Scott
April 4th, North Charlston, SC – Walter L. Scott, 50 was fatally shot in the back multiple times by officer Michael Slager during a traffic stop. Slager was subsequently charged with murder. See previous post.
Eric Harris
April 2nd, Tulsa, OK – Eric Harris, 44, Harris is seen running from police before a voice shouts "Taser, Taser". A moment later, there is a single gunshot, and voice says, "Oh, I shot him. I'm sorry." Harris cries out, "He shot me, man. Oh, my god. I’m losing my breath." "Fuck your breath. Shut the fuck up," an officer shouts back in response. Harris was unarmed at the time of the shooting. Part-time volunteer reserve Deputy Robert Bates, 73, was charged with manslaughter, however, a judge approves a family vacation the the Bahamas for Robert Bates.
Other lesser known killings of unarmed men this month include:
Frank Shephard
April 16th, Houston, TX – Frank Shephard, 41: The father of 3+, wanted for allegedly making unsafe lane changes, refused to pull over and called 911 threatening to harm a child in the vehicle if police tried to stop him again. A 15-20 minute pursuit ended in a collision at an intersection and he was shot (10-12 shots fired) when he got out of the car. There was no child in the vehicle.
William L. Chapman
April 22nd, Portsmouth, VA – William L. Chapman II, 18: An officer responding to a shoplifting call shot and killed the unarmed Chapman after an aledged struggle between the two.
Police ID 18-year-old shot, killed in Portsmouth
Hector Morejon
April 23rd, Long Beach, CA – Hector Morejon, 19:-Officers responded to a residential complex in response to reports of several subjects trespassing and vandalizing a vacant residence. Officers saw Morejon in the residence standing next to a wall. Morejon allegedly turned toward the officer while bending his knees and extending his arm; he was then fatally shot. No weapon was found at the scene. Four others were arrested, not killed, for trespassing.
