illings of black men, police officers litter American landscape
AMERICA—It has been a week of blood in the U.S.
On July 5, 37 year old Alton Sterling was shot to death in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in front of a convenience store. His crime—carrying a weapon while selling CDs. Early reports claimed police received a call that Sterling had been observed with a weapon but Abdullah Muflahi, the owner of the store in front of which Sterling was killed, is reported as saying Sterling was not causing problems prior to being killed. Furthermore, he said Sterling had told him he was carrying a gun to protect himself from other street CD sellers who had been threatening. Witnesses recorded videos of Sterling being shot to death by two officers after one yelled, “He’s got a gun!” Witnesses said police took a gun from Sterling’s pocket—after police had already shot him to death. The gun was in his pocket—not drawn—when he was killed.…show more content… According to his girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, who was in the car with him along with her four-year-old daughter, when the officer who stopped him asked Castile for his license and registration, Castile told him as a precaution that he had a firearm in the car, which he legally was licensed to carry. As Castile told the officer that he was reaching for his wallet, Reynolds said the officer yelled, “Don’t move!” and shot Castile in the arm multiple times—even as Castile was attempting to raise his hands—killing him. She live streamed the aftermath of the incident
