Witnesses: Another Unarmed African-American Shot by Police
In photo: Cedric Bartee
Police have urged the public not to jump to conclusions after an officer shot an African-American man that witnesses say was surrendering.
(Tele Sur, with distribution via NNPA) – An African-American man is in a critical condition after being shot a by a white police officer in Florida early Monday morning.
Witnesses have stated Cedric Bartee had his hands up when Sergeant Robert McCarthy fired three shots at him, according to local media.
However, Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings has told the press Bartee “made extensive furtive movements,” prompting McCarthy to open fire.
Police say the shooting took place after Bartee was found in a stolen car.
Demings stated he aims to be transparent with the case due to public concern over a series of high profile police shootings of unarmed African-American men and boys.
“I ask everyone to not rush to judgment and allow the investigation to be completed,” he stated.
Last week, Rumain Brisbon was gunned down in Phoenix by police who claim they suspected the African-American man was armed and selling drugs.
A friend of Brisbon’s, who was with him at the time, refutes this, saying they were getting dinner for Brisbon’s children.
While prosecutors have yet to determine whether the officer responsible will face charges, police responsible for choking a black man to death in New York and shooting African-American teenager Michael Brown earlier this year have both been cleared by grand juries, sparking protests across the country.
Over the weekend, a funeral was held for another unarmed African-American who was shot dead by police in New York.
“There is nothing written anywhere in the law that police officers are to be treated any differently from any other citizen,” said Benjamin Crump, a lawyer for the family of Tamir Rice.
Rice, 12-year-old African-American boy, was fatally shot by a police officer in a park in Cleveland, Ohio, Nov. 22. The shooting occurred after Tamir was seen wandering the park with a toy gun. The police went to the park after a 911 call, and within two seconds of arrival, one of the police officer’s shot Rice, who died the following day in hospital due to the bullet wounds.
