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Florida policeman shoots autistic man's unarmed black therapist | |
(about 7 hours later) | |
A Florida policeman shot and wounded an autistic man's unarmed black therapist on Monday, local media reports. | A Florida policeman shot and wounded an autistic man's unarmed black therapist on Monday, local media reports. |
Charles Kinsey, who works with people with disabilities, told WSVN television he was helping a patient who had wandered away from a facility. | Charles Kinsey, who works with people with disabilities, told WSVN television he was helping a patient who had wandered away from a facility. |
Mobile phone video shows Mr Kinsey lying down with his hands in the air, and his patient sitting in the road with a toy truck. | Mobile phone video shows Mr Kinsey lying down with his hands in the air, and his patient sitting in the road with a toy truck. |
The latest shooting follows weeks of violence involving police. | The latest shooting follows weeks of violence involving police. |
US police shootings: How many die each year? | US police shootings: How many die each year? |
Why do US police keep killing black men? | Why do US police keep killing black men? |
North Miami Assistant Police Chief Neal Cuevas said officers were called out on Monday, following reports of a man threatening to shoot himself. | North Miami Assistant Police Chief Neal Cuevas said officers were called out on Monday, following reports of a man threatening to shoot himself. |
Police ordered Mr Kinsey and the patient to lie on the ground, he told The Miami Herald. | Police ordered Mr Kinsey and the patient to lie on the ground, he told The Miami Herald. |
The video shows Mr Kinsey lying down while trying to get his patient to comply. | The video shows Mr Kinsey lying down while trying to get his patient to comply. |
'Wow was I wrong' | 'Wow was I wrong' |
He can be heard telling officers he has no weapon, and that the other man is autistic and has a toy truck. | He can be heard telling officers he has no weapon, and that the other man is autistic and has a toy truck. |
An officer then fired three times, striking Kinsey in the leg, Mr Cuevas said. No weapon was found. | An officer then fired three times, striking Kinsey in the leg, Mr Cuevas said. No weapon was found. |
Police have not released the name or race of the officer who shot him but said he had been placed on administrative leave. | Police have not released the name or race of the officer who shot him but said he had been placed on administrative leave. |
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the incident. | The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the incident. |
In an interview with the TV station from his hospital bed, Mr Kinsey said he was more worried about his patient than himself during the incident. | In an interview with the TV station from his hospital bed, Mr Kinsey said he was more worried about his patient than himself during the incident. |
"As long as I've got my hands up, they're not going to shoot me. This is what I'm thinking. They're not going to shoot me," he said. "Wow, was I wrong." | "As long as I've got my hands up, they're not going to shoot me. This is what I'm thinking. They're not going to shoot me," he said. "Wow, was I wrong." |
Mr Kinsey is a member of the Circle of Brotherhood, a collective of African American men and community activists in south Florida. | Mr Kinsey is a member of the Circle of Brotherhood, a collective of African American men and community activists in south Florida. |
"It could be any of us," Lyle Muhammad, a spokesman for the group, told BBC. | "It could be any of us," Lyle Muhammad, a spokesman for the group, told BBC. |
"Here's an individual who is going about his daily employment and doing it well, and speaking clearly and following every single instruction he was given, and he still finds himself assaulted." | "Here's an individual who is going about his daily employment and doing it well, and speaking clearly and following every single instruction he was given, and he still finds himself assaulted." |
Worsening relations | Worsening relations |
The shooting comes amid concern over worsening race relations in the United States. | The shooting comes amid concern over worsening race relations in the United States. |
Mr Muhammad said there was an "inherent fear of black men in this country that allows us to to be gunned down without provocation". | Mr Muhammad said there was an "inherent fear of black men in this country that allows us to to be gunned down without provocation". |
He said he hoped better community policing training would come to the North Miami Police Department as a result of the incident. | He said he hoped better community policing training would come to the North Miami Police Department as a result of the incident. |
Three law enforcement officers were shot dead and three others wounded in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on Sunday. | Three law enforcement officers were shot dead and three others wounded in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on Sunday. |
The killer was shot by police. It later transpired he had posted videos complaining at police treatment of African Americans and urging them to "fight back". | The killer was shot by police. It later transpired he had posted videos complaining at police treatment of African Americans and urging them to "fight back". |
Two weeks earlier, on 5 July, two white officers in Baton Rouge killed a black man, Alton Sterling, 37. | Two weeks earlier, on 5 July, two white officers in Baton Rouge killed a black man, Alton Sterling, 37. |
That shooting, also captured on mobile phone video, provoked widespread protests about police treatment of the black community. | That shooting, also captured on mobile phone video, provoked widespread protests about police treatment of the black community. |
A day later, on 6 July, another black man, 32-year-old Philando Castile, was killed in Minnesota when a police officer pulled him over. The next day, a sniper killed five Dallas police officers as they guarded a peaceful protest. | A day later, on 6 July, another black man, 32-year-old Philando Castile, was killed in Minnesota when a police officer pulled him over. The next day, a sniper killed five Dallas police officers as they guarded a peaceful protest. |