"We can all understand what's going on in Ferguson, but I think every police officer who's out here has a right to defend themselves and the community," Chief Dotson said.
Whatever happened to "serve and protect"
http://online.wsj.com/articles/knife-wielding-suspect-reportedly-shot-dead-in-st-louis-1408476226
St. Louis Police Shoot and Kill Man Allegedly Wielding KnifeShooting of Black, 23-Year-Old Suspect Near Ferguson, Mo. Raises Fears of Additional Turmoil
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By
BEN KESLING and
ANDREA GALLO
CONNECT
Updated Aug. 19, 2014 7:57 p.m. ET
A crowd gathers near the location of a shooting between police officers and a 23-year-old black suspect on Tuesday in St. Louis. Natalie Keyssar for The Wall Street Journal
ST. LOUIS—A fatal shooting involving police officers here Tuesday just miles from the suburb racked by unrest over the death of an unarmed black teenager has raised fears of additional turmoil in the area.
But police described a very different scene at Tuesday's incident, saying a man acting erratically was approaching officers with a knife when they both opened fire.
St. Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson alleged in a news conference that a 23-year-old black suspect entered a store multiple times and took energy drinks and pastries. After his second time leaving the store, the store owner asked him to pay for his merchandise. The man allegedly threw the pastries into the street, and the shop owner called the police.
When police officers arrived, the man pulled out a knife, Chief Dotson alleged.
( Ferguson: Demonstrators defy police).
Chief Dotson said the suspect told police, "Shoot me now, kill me now," while continuing to walk toward them brandishing his knife. He said the officers asked the man to drop his weapon, but he continued his advance. Once he was within 3 to 4 feet of the police, both officers shot and killed the suspect, Chief Dotson said.
A woman who said she was on the sidewalk near the parking lot where the altercation happened said a young black man and a store clerk from a convenience store were arguing with each other, the clerk accusing the man of stealing a cupcake and two energy drinks.
The man threw the food on the ground and walked away, she said. Minutes later, the police showed up and the man, who had what she said was a kitchen knife and who she said was acting erratically, walked with the knife toward the officers. The police then fired what she said were multiple shots.
Chief Dotson said he couldn't confirm how many times the man had been shot and said the matter was still being investigated.
No officers were injured during the event, and the investigation is continuing. Chief Dotson reported that the shooting happened in St. Louis' sixth district, in the northern part of the city. This is about 5 miles from Ferguson, Mo., which has been in a state of unrest for more than a week, following the shooting by a white police officer of Michael Brown, an unarmed black 18-year-old.
"We can all understand what's going on in Ferguson, but I think every police officer who's out here has a right to defend themselves and the community," Chief Dotson said.
The officers were placed on administrative duty in accordance with the police department's policy, Chief Dotson said.
A crowd of about 100 gathered Tuesday afternoon at the intersection near where the shooting occurred, occasionally chanting "hands up, don't shoot."
"Today marks the 10th day since Michael Brown, and another young black man [was] killed," Mike Davis, 47, who lives across the street from the shooting and said he heard the shots.
Cynthia Favored, who lives down the street from the incident, said she was worried it could inflame the situation. "Twice in two weeks, it's crazy. I was sitting at home and saw it on TV and said, 'Oh my God.' "
Three doors down from the corner convenience store where Tuesday's incident took place, LaToya Allen was enlisting as many family members as she could to help her pack up everything they could in the Heavenly Touch Salon and Spa, the beauty parlor she has operated for a more than two years. She was trying to get everything out in case of potential looting.
"I'm not taking any chances," said the 25-year-old who rents the shop space. "I don't want to have my business burned down."
Ms. Allen's mother and sisters were helping her pack up as they talked about logistics of moving the boxes of nail polish and salon equipment out to a car.
Every few minutes she ran outside to see if the car was there to help her move. Outside the shop, a crowd included a man holding a homemade cardboard sign that said, "What are we gonna do! War!!"
"For me to have to do this is horrible," she said. "This is the only thing I have—my business." |
