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| Baton Rouge Officer Is Fired in Alton Sterling Case; Another Is Suspended | Baton Rouge Officer Is Fired in Alton Sterling Case; Another Is Suspended |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A police officer who fatally shot a black man in front of a convenience store in Baton Rouge, La., nearly two years ago was fired Friday, and a fellow officer involved in the episode was suspended for three days. The disciplinary actions were the first serious consequences for the officers after both state and federal officials declined to bring criminal charges against them. | A police officer who fatally shot a black man in front of a convenience store in Baton Rouge, La., nearly two years ago was fired Friday, and a fellow officer involved in the episode was suspended for three days. The disciplinary actions were the first serious consequences for the officers after both state and federal officials declined to bring criminal charges against them. |
| Blane Salamoni, the officer who was dismissed, fired six shots at the man, Alton B. Sterling, after he and the other officer, Howie Lake II, responded to a call at a convenience store parking lot on July 6, 2016. The shooting, which was captured on video, is one of numerous high-profile fatal encounters between black men and American police in recent years, and prompted large protests in Baton Rouge and beyond. | |
| Chief Murphy Paul of the Baton Rouge Police Department announced the disciplinary actions against the officers in a news conference Friday. The department released disturbing new footage of the encounter, from body-worn cameras and other videos, in which the officers appear to shout profanities at Mr. Sterling and threaten to shoot him. | |
| The disciplinary decision came after the Louisiana attorney general, Jeff Landry, said on Tuesday that they would not be charged with state-level crimes, and after the Justice Department, in May 2017, declined to seek federal civil rights charges. | |
| The chief’s announcement was expected to bring a modicum of relief to activists and Mr. Sterling’s family members, who have grown increasingly frustrated after the state and federal decisions. | |
| The announcement also comes amid tension and protests over another police shooting in Sacramento. Stephon Clark, a 22-year-old unarmed black man, was shot at more than 20 times by the police in his grandmother’s backyard on March 18. A private autopsy commissioned by Mr. Clark’s family and released Friday found that eight bullets had struck him, and that his death took three to 10 minutes, raising questions about why he did not receive medical care more quickly. | |
| Part of Mr. Sterling’s fatal encounter with the Baton Rouge officers was captured in a widely seen cellphone video, in which the officers can be seen holding down Mr. Sterling. At one point someone can be heard saying, “He’s got a gun! Gun!” | Part of Mr. Sterling’s fatal encounter with the Baton Rouge officers was captured in a widely seen cellphone video, in which the officers can be seen holding down Mr. Sterling. At one point someone can be heard saying, “He’s got a gun! Gun!” |
| An officer immediately draws his weapon and, after some more shouting, what appear to be gunshots ring out. The camera points elsewhere, and more apparent gunshots follow. Officer Salamoni fired all of the rounds. | An officer immediately draws his weapon and, after some more shouting, what appear to be gunshots ring out. The camera points elsewhere, and more apparent gunshots follow. Officer Salamoni fired all of the rounds. |
| A state report noted that Officer Lake had found a .38-caliber handgun in Mr. Sterling’s pocket after the shooting. The report also included the results of a toxicology test, which said Mr. Sterling’s blood contained alcohol, cocaine, amphetamine, methamphetamine and THC. The amount of methamphetamine, the report said, was associated with “abusers who exhibited violent and irrational behavior.” | A state report noted that Officer Lake had found a .38-caliber handgun in Mr. Sterling’s pocket after the shooting. The report also included the results of a toxicology test, which said Mr. Sterling’s blood contained alcohol, cocaine, amphetamine, methamphetamine and THC. The amount of methamphetamine, the report said, was associated with “abusers who exhibited violent and irrational behavior.” |
| Mr. Sterling resisted officers’ commands to place his hands on a car; at one point, as the police and suspect struggled, Officer Salamoni drew his handgun and told Mr. Sterling, using expletives, not to move, or he would shoot him in the head. | Mr. Sterling resisted officers’ commands to place his hands on a car; at one point, as the police and suspect struggled, Officer Salamoni drew his handgun and told Mr. Sterling, using expletives, not to move, or he would shoot him in the head. |
| Officer Lake used his Taser on Mr. Sterling twice, but the shocks did not end the altercation. | Officer Lake used his Taser on Mr. Sterling twice, but the shocks did not end the altercation. |
| The two officers may now appeal their punishments to a civil service board, which will hold public proceedings and uphold, vacate or modify the punishments. The officers may then appeal that decision to a state district court. | The two officers may now appeal their punishments to a civil service board, which will hold public proceedings and uphold, vacate or modify the punishments. The officers may then appeal that decision to a state district court. |
| Sharon Weston Broome, the mayor of Baton Rouge, has said publicly that she would like to see Officer Salamoni fired and Officer Lake disciplined. Ms. Broome, who was elected in 2016, pledged during her campaign that she would replace the police chief, fulfilling that promise late last year with the announcement of Mr. Paul’s appointment. | Sharon Weston Broome, the mayor of Baton Rouge, has said publicly that she would like to see Officer Salamoni fired and Officer Lake disciplined. Ms. Broome, who was elected in 2016, pledged during her campaign that she would replace the police chief, fulfilling that promise late last year with the announcement of Mr. Paul’s appointment. |
| Lawyers for the two officers are almost certain in the appeals process to seize on the mayor’s statements calling for the discipline of the officers, and argue that the punishments were a foregone conclusion, said Henry D.H. Olinde, a Baton Rouge lawyer with significant experience with civil service cases. | Lawyers for the two officers are almost certain in the appeals process to seize on the mayor’s statements calling for the discipline of the officers, and argue that the punishments were a foregone conclusion, said Henry D.H. Olinde, a Baton Rouge lawyer with significant experience with civil service cases. |
| “The question’s going to be, did the mayor’s declaration in any way influence the decision of the police chief?” he said. | “The question’s going to be, did the mayor’s declaration in any way influence the decision of the police chief?” he said. |