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| Another police-involved shooting death of black teen sparks tensions in St. Louis | Another police-involved shooting death of black teen sparks tensions in St. Louis |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Tensions flared again in St. Louis overnight after news of another shooting death of a black teenager by a police officer spread in the metropolitan area, which has been the site of protests since the August police shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown. But while some are comparing the two shooting deaths, others are saying they are quite different cases. | Tensions flared again in St. Louis overnight after news of another shooting death of a black teenager by a police officer spread in the metropolitan area, which has been the site of protests since the August police shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown. But while some are comparing the two shooting deaths, others are saying they are quite different cases. |
| Tuesday night’s shooting in Berkeley — which sits due west of Ferguson, Mo., about five miles from the spot where Brown was killed — left dead a man identified by family members as Antonio Martin, 18. Soon, crowds had gathered, demanding answers. | Tuesday night’s shooting in Berkeley — which sits due west of Ferguson, Mo., about five miles from the spot where Brown was killed — left dead a man identified by family members as Antonio Martin, 18. Soon, crowds had gathered, demanding answers. |
| Police say that about 11:15 p.m. Central time, a Berkeley police officer conducting a business check encountered two men at a gas station. The St. Louis County Police Department, which has assumed control of the investigation, said early Wednesday that one of the men pointed a handgun at the officer. | Police say that about 11:15 p.m. Central time, a Berkeley police officer conducting a business check encountered two men at a gas station. The St. Louis County Police Department, which has assumed control of the investigation, said early Wednesday that one of the men pointed a handgun at the officer. |
| “Fearing for his life, the Berkeley officer fired several shots, striking the man, fatally wounding him,” county police said in a news release. | “Fearing for his life, the Berkeley officer fired several shots, striking the man, fatally wounding him,” county police said in a news release. |
| The victim’s mother, Toni Martin, told reporters at the scene that her son had not been carrying a gun and was just walking to visit his girlfriend at the time of the shooting. Police, who have not confirmed the victim’s identity, say they have recovered a weapon from the scene. | The victim’s mother, Toni Martin, told reporters at the scene that her son had not been carrying a gun and was just walking to visit his girlfriend at the time of the shooting. Police, who have not confirmed the victim’s identity, say they have recovered a weapon from the scene. |
| At a 7 a.m. news conference Wednesday, St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar stressed that the shooting was a tragedy, and he took great lengths to address this shooting differently than the way the Brown shooting was initially handled. | At a 7 a.m. news conference Wednesday, St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar stressed that the shooting was a tragedy, and he took great lengths to address this shooting differently than the way the Brown shooting was initially handled. |
| “These are nothing but tragedies, regardless of the decisions that the individual made,” Belmar said. “There are no winners here. There are nothing but losers.” | “These are nothing but tragedies, regardless of the decisions that the individual made,” Belmar said. “There are no winners here. There are nothing but losers.” |
| The handling of the Brown shooting investigation and reaction to the protests that followed came under heavy criticism and is under review by the Justice Department. When a Missouri grand jury declined to indict Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson in Brown’s death, protests in St. Louis and around the country gained new energy. When a New York grand jury in the following week chose not to indict a New York City officer in the chokehold death of Eric Garner, another unarmed black man, protests inflamed around the country. | The handling of the Brown shooting investigation and reaction to the protests that followed came under heavy criticism and is under review by the Justice Department. When a Missouri grand jury declined to indict Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson in Brown’s death, protests in St. Louis and around the country gained new energy. When a New York grand jury in the following week chose not to indict a New York City officer in the chokehold death of Eric Garner, another unarmed black man, protests inflamed around the country. |
| Meanwhile, police have been on heightened alert since the shooting deaths Saturday of two New York officers, Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos, by a lone gunman. Police have been on the lookout for the possibility of other similar attacks. | Meanwhile, police have been on heightened alert since the shooting deaths Saturday of two New York officers, Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos, by a lone gunman. Police have been on the lookout for the possibility of other similar attacks. |
| According to Belmar, the St. Louis County chief, the officer was responding to a call about a larceny when he encountered 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. | According to Belmar, the St. Louis County chief, the officer was responding to a call about a larceny when he encountered 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, Belmar said. | |
| Police said they do not believe that the suspect fired his weapon. | Police said they do not believe that the suspect fired his weapon. |
| Belmar also played and released surveillance video from the gas station, which seemed to depict a verbal confrontation between an officer and several people. The blurry video, shot from a distance, contains no audio and ends when it appears that one of the men raises his arm at the officer. | Belmar also played and released surveillance video from the gas station, which seemed to depict a verbal confrontation between an officer and several people. The blurry video, shot from a distance, contains no audio and ends when it appears that one of the men raises his arm at the officer. |
| “The suspect can be seen in the top portion of the video near the end raising a handgun at the police officer,” said St. Louis County Police spokesman Brian Schellman. | “The suspect can be seen in the top portion of the video near the end raising a handgun at the police officer,” said St. Louis County Police spokesman Brian Schellman. |
| The chief said that medical personnel were at the scene quickly, and that the suspect’s body was covered soon after he was pronounced dead. | The chief said that medical personnel were at the scene quickly, and that the suspect’s body was covered soon after he was pronounced dead. |
| Berkeley Mayor Theodore Hoskins, at a Wednesday morning news conference, said Tuesday’s shooting was in no way like the earlier deaths involving officers. | |
| “You couldn’t even compare this with Ferguson or the Garner case in New York,” Hoskins said. “The video shows the deceased pointed a gun that has been recovered.” | |
| But as was the case in October, after an off-duty St. Louis city police officer shot to death another black teenager, the vocal Black Lives Matter protesters in the region are likely to rally around Martin. In that case, police say Vonderrit D. Myers Jr., 18, fired a gun at the officer, who was patrolling a South St. Louis neighborhood as a private security officer. | But as was the case in October, after an off-duty St. Louis city police officer shot to death another black teenager, the vocal Black Lives Matter protesters in the region are likely to rally around Martin. In that case, police say Vonderrit D. Myers Jr., 18, fired a gun at the officer, who was patrolling a South St. Louis neighborhood as a private security officer. |
| “As Christmas Eve dawns, another family mourns a child,” declared the Rev. Osagyefo Sekou, who has been heavily involved in the St. Louis-area protests that have gone on since Brown’s shooting death in August. “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’s statement, sent to the media Wednesday morning, said. | |
| The protesters’ attention is most likely to turn to the police narrative of the shooting and the media portrayal of the incident and the victim. | The protesters’ attention is most likely to turn to the police narrative of the shooting and the media portrayal of the incident and the victim. |
| “Mr. Martin either had a gun or didn’t, but by morning he will have morphed into a gun wielding ‘super negro’, firing from bushes with at least two different handguns with his DNA-less hands, displaying his “demon” strength, and “bulking up” before running towards armed police,” Sekou said. “What’s more, we’ll soon know if he ever smoked marijuana, got good grades at school and if he ever took a selfie with a bottle of liquor.” | “Mr. Martin either had a gun or didn’t, but by morning he will have morphed into a gun wielding ‘super negro’, firing from bushes with at least two different handguns with his DNA-less hands, displaying his “demon” strength, and “bulking up” before running towards armed police,” Sekou said. “What’s more, we’ll soon know if he ever smoked marijuana, got good grades at school and if he ever took a selfie with a bottle of liquor.” |
| Soon after the shooting, many of the protesters who gained organization and prominence in Ferguson had sprung into action. | Soon after the shooting, many of the protesters who gained organization and prominence in Ferguson had sprung into action. |
| By 11:40 p.m., Ferguson protest regular Tony Rice was on the scene, tweeting updates, pictures and videos as officers began to process the scene, and as Martin’s mother arrived. | By 11:40 p.m., Ferguson protest regular Tony Rice was on the scene, tweeting updates, pictures and videos as officers began to process the scene, and as Martin’s mother arrived. |
| At 12:43 a.m., Derek Robinson — a pastor who manages a group text with thousands of local and media contacts — blasted an alert to his list: “There was just an unarmed young man killed at the Mobile station on Hanley and 170; We need bodies now!” | |
| Hundreds showed up, prompting several confrontations with officers — including one when, according to police, someone threw small explosive devices, likely fireworks, at officers. At least two officers were injured, and one remains hospitalized. Four people were arrested for assaulting police officers. | |
| “We’ve seen this since Ferguson. We see crowds gather, but we don’t necessarily see the assaults against officers,” Belmar said. | “We’ve seen this since Ferguson. We see crowds gather, but we don’t necessarily see the assaults against officers,” Belmar said. |
| By 6 a.m., most of the protesters had left, leaving behind a makeshift memorial that is sure to grow as St. Louis awakes and learns the details of the shooting. | By 6 a.m., most of the protesters had left, leaving behind a makeshift memorial that is sure to grow as St. Louis awakes and learns the details of the shooting. |
| “They can’t kill us all,” read a note tucked in the memorial, penned in black marker on a piece of notebook paper that lay next to a bouquet of white and red flowers. | “They can’t kill us all,” read a note tucked in the memorial, penned in black marker on a piece of notebook paper that lay next to a bouquet of white and red flowers. |
| But while many of the protesters and community leaders who have led the Ferguson protests rushed to Berkeley, several local black elected officials insisted that Tuesday night’s shooting was not like that of Brown. | But while many of the protesters and community leaders who have led the Ferguson protests rushed to Berkeley, several local black elected officials insisted that Tuesday night’s shooting was not like that of Brown. |
| Hoskins, the Berkeley mayor, said when he first got to the scene he feared another Ferguson — knowing just that a white officer had shot a black man. However, after speaking with officers and viewing surveillance video, Hoskins said he believes the officer was likely justified in the shooting. | |
| And the mayor stressed that, unlike in Ferguson, Berkeley has elected government and a police force that is largely reflective of its majority-black population. | |
| “In a city that is 85 percent black, we have a majority (black) police force,” said Hoskins, who along with the majority of the Berkeley Council are black. “Our police officers are more sensitive.” | “In a city that is 85 percent black, we have a majority (black) police force,” said Hoskins, who along with the majority of the Berkeley Council are black. “Our police officers are more sensitive.” |
| State Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal (D), whose district includes both Ferguson and Berkeley, insisted that this case can not be compared to the killing of Brown. | |
| “Different narrative, completely different narrative,” said Chappelle-Nadal. “This kid had a gun, and obviously it is an illegal gun. . . . The police officer was justified.” | “Different narrative, completely different narrative,” said Chappelle-Nadal. “This kid had a gun, and obviously it is an illegal gun. . . . The police officer was justified.” |
| Chappelle-Nadal said that the rush — both to the scene and to judgment by protesters and residents — was unhelpful as officers attempted to process the scene of the shooting. | |
| “The bottom line is that all of this is agitation on so many different levels, people just rush to judgment,” she said. “There are only three commonalities between this and Michael Brown — you have another black male dead, another police officer who was not wearing a body camera, and that’s there is still an overly broad definition of when officers can use deadly force. But that’s where the commonalities end.” | “The bottom line is that all of this is agitation on so many different levels, people just rush to judgment,” she said. “There are only three commonalities between this and Michael Brown — you have another black male dead, another police officer who was not wearing a body camera, and that’s there is still an overly broad definition of when officers can use deadly force. But that’s where the commonalities end.” |