North Miami, Florida Pig Shoots Unarmed Black Man Lying on Street with Hands Up

July 21, 2016 | Revolution Newspaper | revcom.us

 

Charles Kinsey is a behavior therapist at a group home. On July 20, he was on a residential street to bring back a young autistic man who had wandered away from his group home. A cell phone video shows police cars arriving—they said later that they were responding to a call about an attempted suicide. But instead of taking any steps to help, the cops point automatic weapons at Kinsey and order him to lie on his back with his hands up. The young man is sitting next to him on the street. Kinsey complies with the police order, and he shouts out loudly, "All he has is a toy truck, I am a behavior therapist at a group home," and, "There is no need for firearms." Kinsey also tries to calm his patient. Moments later, a pig shoots Kinsey—still on his back and hands in the air—in the leg. Then the pigs rush him, flip him over and handcuff him—and also handcuff the young autistic man.

At the hospital, Charles Kinsey said he asked the cop, "Why did you shoot me?" The cop answered, "I don't know." What is clear is that these pigs acted like pigs in all cities do all the time—treat every Black person as a target for violent, deadly force, even if they're unarmed and have their hands up.

Kinsey said from his hospital bed: "I was more worried about him [the autistic youth] than myself.... As long as I've got my hands up, they're not gonna shoot me, that's what I'm thinking. Wow, was I wrong."

       

 

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