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Louisiana police filmed shooting Alton Sterling multiple times at point blank range

Mike Gallagher

Jul 6, 2016 - 03:01

Jul 6, 2016 - 07:42

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Louisiana police filmed shooting Alton Sterling multiple times at point blank range

Alton Sterling was shot at point blank range by police, video reveals

Video has emerged of a police officer pinning a man to the ground then shooting him at point blank range.

Alton Sterling, aged 37, was shot multiple times in the chest and back in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, according to coroner Dr William Clark.

Police were called to a shop at 12.35am yesterday after a tip-off that a man selling CDs had threatened him with a gun, Corporal L’Jean McKneely told reporters.

Two officers responded and there was an altercation which resulted in Mr. Sterling being shot and killed by officers.

Both officers have been placed on administrative leave, which is standard department policy.

Alton Sterling was shot and killed by police officers (Picture: Twitter)

Protestors gather at the intersection of N. Foster and Fairfields, near the Triple S Food Mart after Alton Sterling was shot and killed by Baton Rouge Police in the early hours of Tuesday moing, July 5, 2016, in Baton Rouge, La. An autopsy shows Sterling, 37, of Baton Rouge, died Tuesday of multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and back, said East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner Dr. William Clark. Officers responded to the store about 12:35 a.m. Tuesday after an anonymous caller indicated a man selling music CDs and wearing a red shirt threatened him with a gun, said Cpl. L'Jean McKneely. (Hilary Scheinuk/The Advocate via AP)

People have started protesting in Baton Rouge since the killing (Picture: AP)

The store’s owner, Abdul Muflahi, told WAFB-TV that the first officer used a Taser on Sterling and the second officer tackled the man. Muflahi said that, as Sterling fought to get the officer off of him, the first officer shot him ‘four to six times.’

The owner said Sterling did not have a gun in his hand at the time but he saw officers remove a gun from Sterling’s pocket after fatally shooting him.

McKneely said late Tuesday that he could not confirm Muflahi’s description of the alleged event or any other details of the investigation.

The Advocate reported a crowd of people protesting the shooting gathered late Tuesday afteoon at the store where it took place. The group grew to over 200 people, who chanted and waved signs late into the night, according to the newspaper.

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