As a mixed race guy living in the UK its safe to say its not a good time for Black people to be living in certain parts of the US.
For those of you who havent seen it I suggest you watch it atleast once, be warned it is quite graphics
Now personally I have heard about these stories of police brutality on the news or on programs but I've never really seen it until I watched this and it really puts it into perspective for me how bad this issue is getting.
In the case of alton here are some things we know quoted from a few websites
"According to the Advocate, Baton Rouge police officers Blaine Salamoni and Howie Lake responded to a call at a convenience store around 12:35 am on Tuesday after receiving an anonymous tip that a man in a red shirt who was selling CDs had pointed a gun at someone. Sterling, a 37-year-old black man, matched part of the description: He sold CDs, and he was wearing a red shirt."
"The officers then pulled him to the ground, pinning Sterling on his back. An officer yelled, "He’s got a gun!" One officer aimed his gun at Sterling’s chest at virtually point-blank range. Within seconds, at least one officer opened fire, even though Sterling looks completely pinned down and unable to move."
"Shop owner Abdullah Muflahi told the Advocate that the officers were "aggressive" from the start, and that Sterling was armed but was not holding his gun and didn’t have his hand near his pocket at the time of the shooting."
I looked into it more and I found out about this mans previous convictions...
Sex offender
"Court records show the victim was a 14-year-old girl at the time of the offenses. According to the charging document on file in the courthouse, the victim’s mother had discovered that she was pregnant after taking her to the doctor."
Illegally Carrying a Gun & Other Weapons Offenses
"In another probable cause affidavit, an officer, Corporal Paul Lockett, wrote that he was dispatched to a report of suspects trespassing at a home, where they had kicked in the front door and threatened the victim and her husband with a gun. In a probable cause affidavit accusing Sterling of burglary, the victim said that her door was kicked in and suspects presented several guns and made verbal threats."
"Alton Sterling was accused of intending to distribute, produce, or manufacture marijuana, court records show. In conjunction with the same charge, he was convicted of “knowingly and intentionally possessing a firearm while in possession of a controlled dangerous substance.” The drug charge was dismissed when he entered a guilty plea, the court records show."
"In a sheriff’s affidavit on another date, Sterling was accused of breaking into a woman’s apartment by making a hole in the wall, and then trying to sell her goldfish for $20.
Sterling was also accused of possessing ecstasy and marijuana in different cases, the court file says."
Domestic battery
He was convicted three separate times this post is going to be too long to include all the quotes
http://heavy.com/news/2016/07/alton-sterling-arrest-record-criminal-history-rap-sheet-sex-offender-sex-offense-crime-baton-rouge-louisiana-police-shooting-blane-salamoni-howie-lake-shot-charges-video-youtube-facebook-watch/
Now I put these quotes in so you knew the facts before you made your decision so here is my opinion.
I didn't think this man deserved to die and I certainly dont think the police are in the right here, even though apparently the tazer had no effect on him if he really was reaching for a weapon why would you shoot him in the chest and not in the arm were it wouldnt be fatal.
That being said apparently the guy was threatening other civilians with a firearm when the police came to the scene and with the guy having a history of violence I really dont know where I stand with this particular case, its really not a black and white straightforward decision imo.
This is probably a lenthy post but id love to get other peoples opinions on it.