Hundreds of protesters gathered at a rally organized by former NBA player Matt Barnes to call for justice for Stephon Clark, an 22-year-old unarmed black man who was fatally shot by Sacramento police.
Barnes, who pledged to create a scholarship fund for the children of black men killed by police, amplified calls for charges against the two officers who are on administrative leave.
‘It’s more than color – it comes down to right and wrong,’ Barnes, who played for the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors, said. ‘You’re trying to tell me I can kill someone and get a paid vacation?’
The peaceful demonstration that drew around 500 people to a downtown park came one day after a private autopsy released by the family showed Clark was shot from behind.
Hundreds of protesters gathered at a rally organized by former NBA player Matt Barnes (pictured) to call for justice for Stephon Clark, an unarmed black man who was fatally shot by Sacramento police
Clark (pictured), 22, was killed March 18 by two police officers responding to a call of someone breaking into car windows in South Sacramento shortly after 9pm
The peaceful demonstration that drew around 500 people to a downtown park came one day after a private autopsy conducted by a pathologist Dr Bennet Omalu (pictured, Friday), released by the family showed Clark was shot from behind
Barnes, who pledged to create a scholarship fund for the children of black men killed by police, amplified calls for charges against the two officers who are on administrative leave.
‘It’s more than color – it comes down to right and wrong,’ Barnes, who played for teh Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors, said. ‘You’re trying to tell me I can kill someone and get a paid vacation?’
The peaceful demonstration that drew around 500 people to a downtown park came one day after a private autopsy released by the family showed Clark was shot from behind.
Pathologist Dr Bennet Omalu, known for his study of a degenerative brain condition in football players, announced that Clark was hit by eight bullets – six in the back, one in the neck and one in the thigh.
Omalu said it took Clark between three and 10 minutes to die. Police waited about five minutes before rendering medical aid.
Omalu added the proposition that Clark was assailing the officers, meaning he was facing them, is ‘inconsistent with the prevailing forensic evidence.’ He said it was unclear if Clark would have survived had he gotten immediate medical attention.
Omalu said it took Clark between three and 10 minutes to die. Police waited about five minutes before rendering medical aid (Pictured, Clark family attorney Benjamin Crump speaks)
Omalu added the proposition that Clark was assailing the officers, meaning he was facing them, is ‘inconsistent with the prevailing forensic evidence (Pictured, Clark family attorney Crump on Friday)
Clark was killed March 18 by two police officers responding to a call of someone breaking into car windows in South Sacramento shortly after 9pm.
They yelled that he had a gun before shooting, but it was only a cellphone. The police department says it has not received an official autopsy report from the county coroner’s office.
A day after the shooting, police distributed a press release that said the officers who shot Clark ‘saw the suspect facing them, advance forward with his arms extended, and holding an object in his hands.’
Police video of the shooting doesn’t clearly capture all that happened after Clark ran into his grandmother’s backyard.
Clark initially moved toward the officers, who were peeking out from behind a corner of the house, but it’s unclear if he was facing them or knew they were there when they opened fire after shouting ‘gun, gun, gun’.
After 20 shots, officers called to him, apparently believing he might still be alive and armed. They eventually approached and found no gun, just a cellphone.
Police said Clark was holding an object in his hand that officers believed was a gun, but it was only a cellphone (Pictured, community members listen to findings of a private autopsy conducted on Stephon Clark)
The night before, several hundred protesters marched through downtown streets for nearly four hours, with Black Lives Matter Sacramento leaders diffusing tensions on several occasions to keep the march peaceful.
Protesters plan to gather Saturday night outside a sheriff’s department office in South Sacramento rather than downtown, where thousands of fans will flock for a game between the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors.
Protesters have twice blocked fans from entering, but refrained from a similar move at the most recent game.
Governor Jerry Brown, a Democrat, called Clark’s death tragic and said it ‘raises a number of very serious questions.’ He said he supports the state attorney general’s independent oversight of the investigation.