The report digs into how police justify their shootings. Most police officers, security guards, or vigilantes who extrajudicially killed black people, about 47% (146 of 313), claimed they felt threatened, feared for their life, or were forced to shoot to protect themselves or others. George Zimmerman, the armed self-appointed neighborhood watchman who killed Trayvon Martin last year, claimed exactly this to justify shooting Martin. Other justifications include suspects fleeing (14%), allegedly driving cars toward officers, allegedly reaching for waistbands or lunging, or allegedly pointing a gun at an officer. Only 13% or 42 people fired a weapon before or during the officers arrival. occupy/article/black-man-killed-us-every-28-hours-police
Posted on: Thu, 14 Aug 2014 01:52:31 +0000