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| Protests in Houston after police shoot unarmed man in wheelchair | Protests in Houston after police shoot unarmed man in wheelchair |
| (6 days later) | |
| Civil rights activists staged a protest in Houston on Tuesday, after an unarmed man in a wheelchair was shot dead by police at a care home for the mentally ill. | Civil rights activists staged a protest in Houston on Tuesday, after an unarmed man in a wheelchair was shot dead by police at a care home for the mentally ill. |
| Members of the National Black United Front marched in front of city hall and joined with other local pressure groups in demanding an independent investigation into the shooting. | Members of the National Black United Front marched in front of city hall and joined with other local pressure groups in demanding an independent investigation into the shooting. |
| At around 2am on Saturday, police were called to the Healing Hands Assisted Home Care house, about a mile south-east of downtown Houston, after a resident became agitated because he was refused cigarettes and soda. | At around 2am on Saturday, police were called to the Healing Hands Assisted Home Care house, about a mile south-east of downtown Houston, after a resident became agitated because he was refused cigarettes and soda. |
| According to a police statement, Brian Claunch grew violent and threatened to kill two patrolmen and others in the home. He "waved a shiny object in his hand in their direction" and attempted to stab one of the officers, at which point the other officer, Matthew Marin, shot Claunch. The shiny object proved to be a ballpoint pen. | According to a police statement, Brian Claunch grew violent and threatened to kill two patrolmen and others in the home. He "waved a shiny object in his hand in their direction" and attempted to stab one of the officers, at which point the other officer, Matthew Marin, shot Claunch. The shiny object proved to be a ballpoint pen. |
| Claunch was reportedly killed by a single shot to the head. The 45-year-old was a schizophrenic who had lost most of his right leg and his entire right arm when he was hit by a train, the Houston Chronicle reported. He had a criminal record, including drug convictions. | Claunch was reportedly killed by a single shot to the head. The 45-year-old was a schizophrenic who had lost most of his right leg and his entire right arm when he was hit by a train, the Houston Chronicle reported. He had a criminal record, including drug convictions. |
| Marin, who became an officer in 2007, also killed a suspect when on duty in 2009, when he fired on a man who had stabbed his neighbor to death and who refused to drop the knife. | Marin, who became an officer in 2007, also killed a suspect when on duty in 2009, when he fired on a man who had stabbed his neighbor to death and who refused to drop the knife. |
| Shootings by police appear to be on the rise in the US's fourth-largest city. The Houston Chronicle reported that in the first seven months of this year, the city's police had been involved in 14 shooting incidents, killing seven people – almost double the number of shootings compared with the same period last year. Twenty-one people were shot in the whole of 2011, nine fatally. | Shootings by police appear to be on the rise in the US's fourth-largest city. The Houston Chronicle reported that in the first seven months of this year, the city's police had been involved in 14 shooting incidents, killing seven people – almost double the number of shootings compared with the same period last year. Twenty-one people were shot in the whole of 2011, nine fatally. |
| The Greater Houston Coalition for Justice had previously called for the US Attorney General to investigate alleged civil-rights violations by Houston police. After the latest incident, it will ask for an acceleration of the request. | The Greater Houston Coalition for Justice had previously called for the US Attorney General to investigate alleged civil-rights violations by Houston police. After the latest incident, it will ask for an acceleration of the request. |
| "This occurs quite often," Johnny Mata, a member of the Coalition, told the Guardian. "This is an horrendous death that could have been handled differently." | "This occurs quite often," Johnny Mata, a member of the Coalition, told the Guardian. "This is an horrendous death that could have been handled differently." |
| Mata also pointed to the case of Rufino Lara, an illegal immigrant from El Salvador who was shot dead by a police officer who stated that Lara ignored repeated orders to stop and show his hands. The officer said she had believed that Lara may have had a weapon, since he turned to face her with one of his hands tucked under his shirt. A search showed that there was a beer can in his waistband and two witnesses claim that he had his hands against a wall both before and as he turned. | Mata also pointed to the case of Rufino Lara, an illegal immigrant from El Salvador who was shot dead by a police officer who stated that Lara ignored repeated orders to stop and show his hands. The officer said she had believed that Lara may have had a weapon, since he turned to face her with one of his hands tucked under his shirt. A search showed that there was a beer can in his waistband and two witnesses claim that he had his hands against a wall both before and as he turned. |
| Amin Alehashem, staff attorney at the Houston office of the Texas Civil Rights Project, told the Guardian that Claunch's death was "absolutely disturbing. A lot of people are very upset." He described the killing as "particularly egregious", given the circumstances, and "in cold blood. I don't understand why the officer didn't shoot a Taser or something else." | Amin Alehashem, staff attorney at the Houston office of the Texas Civil Rights Project, told the Guardian that Claunch's death was "absolutely disturbing. A lot of people are very upset." He described the killing as "particularly egregious", given the circumstances, and "in cold blood. I don't understand why the officer didn't shoot a Taser or something else." |
| Alehashem said that in the wider context Claunch's death was indicative of a "systemic failure" that puts officers in situations they are ill-equipped to handle. | Alehashem said that in the wider context Claunch's death was indicative of a "systemic failure" that puts officers in situations they are ill-equipped to handle. |
| "With all the budget cuts in social services you're seeing police being put in the role of social worker and it's not a role they're really trained to play," he said. | "With all the budget cuts in social services you're seeing police being put in the role of social worker and it's not a role they're really trained to play," he said. |
| Charles McClelland, the Houston chief of police, said he had asked the local FBI office to investigate the incident. | Charles McClelland, the Houston chief of police, said he had asked the local FBI office to investigate the incident. |
| "The Houston Police Department places the highest value on human life and events like these are tragic and unfortunate for everyone involved," he said in a statement. "All Houston Police Officers receive mandatory crisis intervention training specifically dealing with persons experiencing mental crisis. | "The Houston Police Department places the highest value on human life and events like these are tragic and unfortunate for everyone involved," he said in a statement. "All Houston Police Officers receive mandatory crisis intervention training specifically dealing with persons experiencing mental crisis. |
| "As we do in all instances of this nature, the Houston Police Department's Homicide and Internal Affairs Divisions, and the Harris County District Attorneys Office, Civil Rights Division, are investigating this incident." | "As we do in all instances of this nature, the Houston Police Department's Homicide and Internal Affairs Divisions, and the Harris County District Attorneys Office, Civil Rights Division, are investigating this incident." |
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