BATON ROUGE. — The head of the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP) in Baton Rouge called yesterday for the police chief to be fired after a Louisiana police officer shot and killed a black man during a confrontation outside a convenience store.
“What I’m calling for today (yesterday) is that the chief law enforcement officer to fire the police chief,” Michael McClanahan said.
“He must step down. We cannot have anybody who allows this type of action to take place.”
A video that purported to show the killing of Alton Sterling further fuelled public anger about the shooting on Tuesday, prompting hundreds to protest. The protest lasted into the night, with people chanting and holding up signs.
The Associated Press has not been able to authenticate the video. But the appearance of the store in the video matches the front of the convenience store where the shooting occurred. The man being subdued by police was wearing a red shirt, matching the description given earlier by police.
In the video, which appears to be shot from inside a nearby parked car, one of two police officers outside the store can be seen tackling the man in the red shirt and wrestling him to the ground. Then the other officer helps him hold the man down.
At one point someone can be heard saying, “He’s got a gun! Gun!” and then one officer on top of the man can be seen pulling his weapon from his holster. After some shouting, what sounds like a gunshot can be heard and the camera pulls away. Then another four shots can be heard. At one point, a person in the vehicle asks “They shot him?” as a woman can be heard crying.
The Advocate reported the crowd that gathered late on Tuesday afternoon at the store where Sterling died grew to more than 200 people. They chanted “black lives matter” and “hands up don’t shoot” and waved signs late into the night, according to the newspaper. By dawn yesterday, protesters and friends had created a makeshift memorial to Sterling on the white folding tables and fold out chair he had used to sell home made music compilations on CD’s.
Arthur Baines came by to pay his respects. He said Sterling had stayed with his sister at some point. “He never bothered nobody. He was just trying to make an honest dollar,” Baines said. He said he thought Sterling was out late on July 4th because more people were out on the holiday: “That’s really how he made all of his money.”
Mufleh Alatiyat, a 25-year-old employee of the store described Sterling as generous and said he often gave away CDs or petty cash or bought food or drink for some people. An autopsy shows Sterling died of multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and back, East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner Dr William Clark said. — AP.