Shooting of Liberty City man by law enforcement ‘unconscionable’

Standing outdoors a courtroom on the seventh floor of the Miami-Dade felony courthouse Tuesday morning, civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump identified as the police shooting of a male struggling a psychological breakdown “excessive” and “unconscionable.”

He then demanded that the Miami-Dade Condition Attorney’s Business drop all rates towards his customer and said the household was looking at all lawful possibilities.

“The total world is seeing, Miami,” Crump stated before a lender of television cameras. “Do the right factor for Daniel Armstrong.”

Last month, cellphone footage that has given that catapulted through social media, captured the harrowing times that led up to a Miami Law enforcement officer taking pictures a man struggling a mental breakdown, six periods.

Video demonstrates Miami police taking pictures guy frequently. He’s in important situation, police say

The incident commenced, according to police and household customers, when Armstrong’s mom known as police to say her son was suffering a psychological well being crisis and that she needed help. The situation escalated as soon as police arrived.

Armstrong, 47, stood on the entrance porch of his Design Town household, in close proximity to Liberty Metropolis, obviously agitated as a fifty percent dozen or much more Miami Police officers faced him down from the entrance lawn, their weapons drawn. Two times, officers fired the electronic prong of a Taser into Armstrong.

Armstrong appeared to be falling confront-down off the front of the porch when Miami Police Officer Kassandra Mercado opened hearth. She struck him 6 times, in accordance to Armstrong’s attorneys Crump and Larry Handfield — five occasions soon after he was on the floor. Crump said she fired nine times.

The object Armstrong was keeping, which appeared to be some sort of stick, was left on the porch. No other officers fired their weapon.

Armstrong was taken to the healthcare facility. His wounds weren’t daily life-threatening. Handfield reported he’s continue to suffering from some style of paralysis.

Armstrong was charged with aggravated assault on a regulation enforcement officer and resisting arrest without the need of violence. In current days, he’s been transferred from the healthcare facility to a medical wing at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Middle, his lawyers explained.

The movie stirred thoughts in a group that has endured its share of questionable shootings of Black guys by law enforcement above the years. In 1 extend additional than a ten years ago, Miami Police shot 7 mostly younger Black men in a 7-month time period. The abnormal amount of money of use-of-drive captivated the consideration of the civil rights arm of the U.S. Department of Justice. The metropolis sooner or later agreed to and adopted the instructions of a consent decree that called for policy improvements and a change in education strategies.

Armstrong’s taking pictures caught the focus of community activists who identified as it a “grave injustice.” Leaders of The Healing and Justice Middle, composed of four teams which includes the Circle of Brotherhood and the Dream Defenders, spelled out how Armstrong’s circumstance would probably have ended much in another way had their Liberty Property Cellular Disaster Unit been called in its place of or to ride together with police. The device is composed of mental health experts who are expert at de-escalation strategies.

Outside the house the courtroom Tuesday, Handfield said he was dismayed expenses from Armstrong hadn’t been dropped and that he remains jailed with no bond but set, perhaps until finally his arraignment Thursday.

“It’s utterly absurd. Thank God there’s video,” explained Handfield.

Crump wondered aloud about the disparity in the way Blacks are treated by law enforcement.

“How do individuals in the Black community rely on we get equal justice, when you glance at this online video?” he questioned.

And Armstrong’s mother, older and a bit unsteady, but nonetheless in a position to communicate obviously, said she just preferred her son house.

“I need y’all to pray for him, please,” she said.