Protest has returned to St. Louis as another white policeman has reportedly shot and killed a black teenager in the metropolitan area, which has been the ground of protests since the August, 2014 police shooting death Michael Brown.
The shooting occurred on Tuesday, December 23, 2014 in Berkeley, which is located at about 5 miles from where Michael Brown was killed, left another 18-year old teenager, named Antonio Martin dead.
Some local black elected officials, who were trying to control hundreds of angry protesters on Wednesday, December 24, 2014 debunk the comparison of Antonio to the death of Brown as reports suggests that the latest deceased teenager pointed a gun at the police officer.
Berkeley Mayor, Theodore Hoskins stated that the police officer was likely justified, citing surveillance video evidence that to showed Martin pointing a gun at the officer. It was reported that the officer, fired back in fear for his life.
“You couldn’t even compare this with Ferguson or the Garner case in New York, the video shows the deceased pointed a gun that has been recovered.”Hoskin tells reporters.
State Senator, Maria Chappelle-Nadal, who represents both Ferguson and Berkeley, also maintained that Martin’s death cannot be likened to Brown’s shooting, as she criticized protest leaders for what she termed a “rush to judgement.’’
“Different narrative, completely different narrative, this kid had a gun and obviously it is an illegal gun. “The police officer was justified.” Chappelle-Nadal stated.
The victim’s mother, Toni Martin, however denied claims that Martin was carrying a gun, she told reporters at the scene of the incident that her son had no gun on him and was just walking to visit his girlfriend at the time of the shooting.
Rev. Osagyefo Sekou, who was the protagonist of Michael Brown’s protest condemned the killing of Martin maintained that the neighborhood should be critical of police.
“As Christmas Eve dawns, another family mourns a child, another makeshift memorial starts to form for yet another life cut short by the cavalier ‘shoot first, ask questions later’ approach of too many of those charged with protecting and serving.” Sekou articulated
According to the St. Louis County Police Department on the account of Martin’s death, at about 11:15 p.m, a Berkeley police officer who was conducting a business check sighted two black men at a gas station and a brief argument ensued, one of the men pointed a handgun at the officer afterwards.
“Fearing for his life, the Berkeley officer fired several shots, striking the man, fatally wounding him,” county police said in a news release.
Another St. Louis County Police Chief, Jon Belmar stated at a news conference on Wednesday, December 24, 2014 maintained that the shooting, although was a tragedy, but different from the way the Brown shooting was described.
According to Belmar, the Berkeley officer was on a call about a larceny when he noticed the two men in the parking lot.
“As the officer spoke with one of the men, the other walked several steps away and produced a weapon that he pointed at the officer, Belmar said.
“At that point, the officer drew his weapon and stepped backward, firing three shots – one of which struck the suspect, He added.
