Another week, another case of police brutality.
The decisions not to indict two officers in Ferguson and New York for killing two unarmed civilians have sparked outrage and protest in both cities over the last week, and now Phoenix has a reason to join in the outrage.
According to CBS, protests have already started in the Arizona city after 34-year-old Rumain Brisbon was shot down by an officer when his pill bottle was mistaken for a gun.
The site reports:
According to Sgt. Trent Crump, the officer responded Tuesday to reports of someone selling drugs out of a Cadillac SUV. Upon locating the SUV, he ordered Brisbon, the sole occupant, to show his hands.
Authorities say Brisbon ran inside an apartment building and then got into a struggle with the officer. Brisbon put his hand in his pocket, and when the officer grabbed the hand, he thought he felt the handle of a gun through Brisbon’s pants, police said.
Police say the officer repeatedly told Brisbon to keep his hand in his pocket, then shot him twice when he didn’t.
They continue:
Phoenix police say the officer feared the suspect was armed during their struggle, but some critics say the officer went too far. Despite the department’s efforts to be transparent with information, protesters planned a vigil and march Thursday night against the fatal shooting of 34-year-old Rumain Brisbon.
About 200 protesters, including civil rights activists, clergy and community members, gathered at Civic Space Park Thursday night and marched to police headquarters, CBS affiliate KPHO reported.
The officer who shot an unarmed African-American Brisbon has not been identified, but law enforcement did reveal that it was a 30-year-old who has been in the force for 7 years.
NAACP official Rev. Oscar Tillman gave some advice to the Brisbon family, with whom he spoke shortly after the incident:
“I told them not to be openly explosive or whatever because the fact is … as you can see what happened to Michael Brown’s (stepfather) now. They’re talking about going after him. I said ‘just be very careful.'”
There is currently an internal investigation underway, and the officer could possibly face charges.
We will keep the Brisbon family in our prayers.
SOURCE: CBS News | PHOTO CREDIT: Getty
