Photo: YouTube
In response to reporting that Rochester police officers fatally shot a Black man experiencing homelessness, outside the Open Door Mission homeless shelter, the New York Civil Liberties Union issued the following statement from executive director Donna Lieberman:
“No one experiencing homelessness and mental health crises should have their life taken by police. This individual needed social services and permanent housing, not to be fatally shot. Police are simply not equipped to deescalate, and instead bring further tragedy to the experience of vulnerable residents, not safety and security.
“The City of Rochester must immediately reveal all body-worn camera footage and hold officers accountable for taking the very life they were supposed to save.”
Editor’s Note: The Rochester Police tells us this homeless Black man was coming at them with “a large knife,” in their effort to justify their lethal trigger-happy actions.
The first question here is what serious crime did this homeless man really commit? They tell us he had a knife, but since he was only allegedly hurting himself, why was it so necessary for them to engage him in this manner which escalated the situation ensuring his death?
Unfortunately, a good portion of the police video (showing the Black victim) was blurred, supposedly, because the family was not yet notified. Even assuming this is true, we should not take the police account at face value—given the police penchant to lie, falsify, and conceal evidence.
It should go without sayig that a full investigation is warranted here.
This now deceased Black homeless man was reportedly cutting himself, apparently in an episode of mental distress. This is another example where a professional mental health response—not a violent police one—should’ve occurred to save the life of this now dead Black man.
