Friday, November 20, 2015

Shooting of Jamar Clark Allegedly Unarmed Handcuffed Man Struggling For Police Gun in Minneapolis

Shooting of Jamar Clark Allegedly Unarmed Handcuffed Man Struggling For Police Gun in Minneapolis --- ===

Is the the police or the NAACP that is pushing lies and propaganda, and would be responsible if people started to burn the city down in riots like Baltimore and Fergeson? The evidence proves that the narrative that the was handcuffed and shot execution style and posed no threat to police is a complete lie intended to create the kind of anger that leads to riots. Clark was drunk and high on pot, and been convicted for robbery and was on probation for making terrorist threats  Clark's victim says she did not call the cops so they could shoot him, but could this have been a martyrdom operation whose objective was to create another police violence martyr like Michael Brown? Clark told the police he was "ready to die" when told to take his hands off the police gun and they would shoot. No one has called this suicide by cop, but that is what it was

November 16, 2015 Shooting of Jamar Clark Allegedly Unarmed Handcuffed Man Struggling For Police Gun in Minneapolis In Minneapolis, Minnesota, Jamar Clark (24) Clark was shot in the head by and later died in hospital after after interfering with paramedics' efforts to aid a woman with whom he was allegedly in a physical altercation in which he struggled for control of the officer's gun. Police and witness accounts differ on whether Clark was already handcuffed when he was shot. Activists doubt many will believe there was a struggle for a gun, which would justify the shooting.

*Reference


*Wikipedia

4/1/2016
On November 15, 2015, Jamar Clark, a 24-year-old African-American man, was shot by Minneapolis Police in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Two police officers, Mark Ringgenberg and Dustin Schwarze, were involved in the shooting and were subsequently placed on paid administrative leave. The night after the shooting, Clark died at the Hennepin County Medical Center after being taken off life support.
In response to the shooting, Black Lives Matter organized protests outside the Fourth Precinct police station that lasted for 18 days, as well as other protests and demonstrations in and around Minneapolis. Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced that cases concerning officer-involved shootings would no longer be put before grand juries. On March 30, 2016, Freeman announced that no charges would be filed against Ringgenberg and Schwarze.

Jamar Clark[edit]

Jamar Clark (May 3, 1991 – November 16, 2015) was adopted by Wilma and James Clark when he was four. His family stated that he had a close relationship with his biological and adoptive parents and his 14 siblings. At the time of the shooting, he was employed by Tim Hoag at Copeland Trucking and had hopes of attending college, although he never enrolled.[1]
Clark had previous encounters with law enforcement, beginning in 2010 when he received a conviction for first-degree aggravated robbery.[2] The conviction resulted in a sentence of 41 months in prison, of which it is unclear how many Clark served.[3] Clark faced a second conviction for terroristic threats[2] after he threatened to burn down the apartment of an ex-girlfriend in March 2015, following a bitter breakup. According to Kyle Potter of the Associated Press, "He threw a brick through his ex-girlfriend's window and threatened to burn her apartment unit down -- leaving behind a trail of lighter fluid to prove it, according to court documents."[1] As of November 2015, he was on probation for this crime.[1] Clark's ex-girlfriend described him as "a nurturing, loving man who was drawn to her four children, giving them advice and helping them sell candy for school", but claimed that their relationship soured in recent times, resulting in their breakup.[1] A Domestic Abuse No Contact Order was issued for Clark, requiring him to stay away from the ex-girlfriend until 2020.[4] Additionally, Clark was awaiting trial for a high-speed chase arrest from July 2015.[1]

Shooting[edit]

Jamar Clark was attending the birthday party of Nekelia Sharp, who was hosting the event at her apartment on the 1600 block of Plymouth Avenue North in Minneapolis.[5] Sharp and her husband engaged in a dispute and Clark's ex-girlfriend grabbed Sharp, after which Sharp and Clark's ex-girlfriend fought.[5] Clark stepped in to pull his ex-girlfriend away and, according to Sharp, she hit him.[5] The pair left and soon, someone called for help and paramedics were called.[5] Sharp let them into her apartment and they escorted Clark's ex-girlfriend to the ambulance, which Clark approached after she had entered it.[5] An onlooker reported that both the paramedics and police who had arrived at the scene asked Clark to step away from the ambulance and that police then stepped from their car, arrested Clark on the ground, and the EMS supervisor placed a knee on Clark's chest, after which point he was shot.[5] Police accounts suggested that Clark got into a confrontation with paramedics and then when police officers responded at 12:45 am, a "struggle" ensued, leading to the discharge of one of the police officer's weapons.[5] Several witnesses have said that, at the moment the police officer shot Clark, Clark was lying on the ground, was not resisting arrest, and was handcuffed.[6]
In a statement on November 16, police chief Janeé Harteau indicated that the Minneapolis Police Department's preliminary information suggested that Clark was not restrained with handcuffs when shot.[7] The President of the Minneapolis Police Union Bob Kroll claimed that Clark was actively resisting arrest and tried to take the weapon of one of the officers, and that he was not handcuffed at the moment of the shooting.[8][9]

Political reaction[edit]

Immediate response[edit]

A police officer in uniform, a mayor in a black blazer, and a police chief in a dark blue police jacket stand before a podium.
Mayor Betsy Hodges (center) and Police Chief Janeé Harteau (right) on the day of the shooting
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) issued a statement condemning the shooting and demanded an independent investigation.[10]The Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis defended the officers' actions during the shooting, adding that they had no previous disciplinary issues and pointing out a preceding incident in which an Aitkin County sheriff's deputy was disarmed and killed with his own gun.[4]

Administrative leave[edit]

Mark Ringgenberg and Dustin Schwarze, who have both been with the department for 13 months, both were subsequently placed on paid administrative leave while the investigation is ongoing.[11]

Local politics[edit]

Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges stated that she contacted the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice and the US Attorney for Minnesota in order to request an outside investigation in the "interest of transparency and community confidence."[12] Although Minnesota's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension had already begun an investigation, Hodges indicated that Minneapolis needed "all the tools we have available to us" to investigate the shooting.[12]

Protest reaction[edit]


Nekima Levy-Poundsspeaks during a Black Lives Matter demonstration for Clark in Minneapolis.
Black Lives Matter (BLM) activists and supporters protested for days outside the police precinct protesting against information hiding, demanding for release of police dashcam and bodycamvideos containing material evidence that can settle the truth of police accounts of the incident.[13][14]

Shooting of protesters[edit]

Days before the shooting, the suspects released a video of them using racial slurs while preparing to bring their weapons to a protest that night.[15] Later during the protests, a shooting occurred at 10:45 p.m. on November 23.[16] The shooters, claimed by BLM members to be white supremacists who had been regularly appearing at the rallies over the previous several nights, were chased by protesters away from the demonstration before the shooters turned and opened fire.[16] Five men were shot, but none of them suffered life-threatening wounds.[17][16][18][19][20] One of the injured protesters later claimed he heard the word "nigger" being used during the incident, although he did not state who exactly said it.[21] Shots were also overheard the following night, though no injuries were reported.[22]
At 11:20 a.m. the next day, a 23-year-old white man was taken into custody in Bloomington.[16][18][19] A 32-year-old Hispanic man was arrested in Minneapolis, but was later released after it was determined he was not at the scene of the shooting.[18] At 2:30 p.m., two white men, ages 21 and 26, turned themselves in to police.[23] Four men were charged in the shootings: Lawrence Scarsell, 23, with riot and five counts of assault (both in the second degree), and Daniel Thomas Macey, 26, Nathan Wayne Gustavsson, 21, and Joseph Martin Backman, 27, each with a charge of second-degree riot.[22]
Several of the men in custody are believed to have posted on 4chan's /pol/ and /k/ imageboards in connection with the shooting.[24][25][26][27][28][29]
As of March 14, 2016, attorneys for the men charged have motioned to dismiss the case based on self defense. The motion claims that the protesters wanted to "beat their asses" because they were white, KKK, or police. Interviews with two protesters indicate that the men charged were assaulted prior to being forced from the protest at which point they were followed for a number of blocks, before the men fired upon the group. The dismissal motion also indicates that there is video evidence saying that one of the alleged gunmen raised their hands in surrender before leaving and being assaulted afterwards.[30][31]

Removal of protest camp[edit]

People mill about a fire and larger gatherings at night on a wintry street by a police building
The protest camp on November 25
Protesters had camped outside of the 4th precinct for 18 days. At 4:00 a.m. on December 3, police arrived and handed out fliers stating protesters had ten minutes to leave. Later police began removing the encampments and most of the protesters left. Eight protesters who refused to leave were placed under arrest.[32]

Subsequent actions[edit]

Black Lives Matters staged a December 23 protest of Clark's death at the Mall of America in Bloomington, a year after a similar protest in December 2014. The Mall sought to block the 2015 demonstrations, resulting in three of the protest's organizers being legally barred from entering the space.[33] Protesters marched from the mall then took Metro Transit trains to the Terminal 2 station of the Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport where they were blocked by police and Terminal 2 security checkpoints were closed. Other protesters drove to Terminal 1 and blocked incoming airport traffic on Minnesota State Highway 5. A total 13 demonstrators were arrested.[34]
Another protest was conducted on January 18, 2016 (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day) with demonstrators against the deaths of Clark and Marcus Golden (a man who Saint Paul police had killed a year prior) blocking the Lake Street-Marshall Bridge for a short time. Protesters insisted that a special prosecutor should hear Clark's case, instead of a grand jury convening to decide whether Clark's shooting was justified.[35]

Legal actions[edit]

In February, per the requests of local officials, the U.S. Department of Justice's Community Oriented Policing Services office announced that they would be conducting a review of the way the city handled the November protests.[36] On March 16, Mike Freeman, Hennepin County Attorney, announced that his office would cease the use of grand juries in shootings involving police officers. The announcement was met with approval from activists and described by the Star Tribune as a "rare move" with potential ramifications throughout the country.[37] Later in March, in preparation for Freeman's office's announcement about whether they would be pursing charges against Ringgenberg and Schwarze, Harteau released a video warning against "violence or disruption" based on Freeman's actions.[36] On March 30, Freeman announced that no charges against the officers would be filed.[38]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Jump up to:a b c d e Potter, Kyle (November 21, 2015). "Jamar Clark's troubled life - and death". Associated Press. RetrievedJanuary 22, 2016.
  2. ^ Jump up to:a b Mannix, Andy (November 30, 2015). "Updated: What we know about the shooting of five protesters and the Jamar Clark investigation". MinnPost. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  3. Jump up^ Xaykaothao, Doualy (November 18, 2015). "'He should still be here': Parents of Jamar Clark demand the truth". MPR News. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  4. ^ Jump up to:a b Rachel Chazin (November 19, 2015). "Police union: Jamar Clark went for cop's gun, wasn't cuffed". KSMP.
  5. ^ Jump up to:a b c d e f g Nelson, Tim (December 4, 2015). "Conflicting accounts: What happened the night Jamar Clark was shot?". MPR News. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
  6. Jump up^ Graham, David A. (November 18, 2015). "How Did Jamar Clark Die?". The Atlantic. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
  7. Jump up^ Walsh, Paul; Jany, Libor (November 15, 2015). "Anger builds after police shoot assault suspect in Minneapolis".Star Tribune. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  8. Jump up^ KARE 11 staff (November 18, 2015). "Union: Clark shot while trying to take officer's gun". KARE-TV. RetrievedNovember 20, 2015.
  9. Jump up^ Zurowski, Cory (November 18, 2015). "Minneapolis police union president: Jamar Clark "was a justifiable shooting"".City Pages. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  10. Jump up^ "Minneapolis Police Murder Jamar Clark". NAACP. November 15, 2015.
  11. Jump up^ Cleary, Tom (November 24, 2015). "Jamar Clark: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". Heavy. Retrieved January 3,2016.
  12. ^ Jump up to:a b "Minneapolis Seeks Civil Rights Investigation into Police Shooting of Jamar Clark". NBC News. Associated Press. November 17, 2015. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  13. Jump up^ Chuck, Elizabeth. "Tension Rises Between Protesters, Police After Killing of Unarmed Minneapolis Man". NBC News. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  14. Jump up^ "Minneapolis NAACP chief demands release of video of Minnesota shooting". Yahoo News. Reuters. November 19, 2015. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  15. Jump up^ Miller, Michael. "The chilling video that foreshadowed violence days before Minneapolis shootings".www.washingtonpost.com. Washington Post. RetrievedNovember 25, 2015.
  16. ^ Jump up to:a b c d Zamora, Karen. "3 men in custody, 1 released in Minneapolis 4th Precinct protest shooting". Star Tribune. Retrieved January 16, 2015.
  17. Jump up^ Smith, Mary Lynn. "Five people were shot near Black Lives Matter protest site". Star Tribune. Retrieved November 24,2015.
  18. ^ Jump up to:a b c Baumhardt, Alex; Lowery, Wesley; Berman, Mark."Minneapolis police say three people in custody after shooting injures five near protests, one suspect released".washingtonpost.com. Washington Post. RetrievedNovember 24, 2015.
  19. ^ Jump up to:a b Wagner, Laura. "3 People In Custody In Shooting Of 5 Black Lives Matter Protesters In Minneapolis". npr.org.National Public Radio. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  20. Jump up^ Payne, Ed. "3 in custody after shooting near Jamar Clark protest site in Minneapolis". CNN. Retrieved November 24,2015.
  21. Jump up^ "Court document says Minneapolis Black Lives Matter Jamar Clark protest shooting suspect confessed to police officer friend". CBS News. November 24, 2015. RetrievedNovember 28, 2015.
  22. ^ Jump up to:a b Berman, Mark (November 30, 2015). "Four men charged after protesters shot near Minneapolis police protests".Washington Post. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
  23. Jump up^ "Justice for Jamar Clark protests continue after 5 shot, police hold 3 suspects". RT. November 25, 2015. RetrievedJanuary 17, 2016.
  24. Jump up^ Kaplan, Sarah (December 1, 2015). "Minn. man accused in Black Lives Matter shootings reportedly subscribed to ‘sovereign citizen’ subculture". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 5, 2015.
  25. Jump up^ Cush, Andy (November 24, 2015). "Video Shows 4chan White Supremacists Bringing Gun to Minneapolis Protest Days Before Shooting". Gawker. Retrieved December 5,2015.
  26. Jump up^ Feldman, Brian (November 25, 2015). "Inside /pol/, the 4chan Politics Board Shouted Out in Minneapolis Gun Video". New York Magazine. Retrieved December 5, 2015.
  27. Jump up^ Furber, Matt (November 25, 2015). "4 Arrested in Shooting at Black Lives Matter Protest Are Identified". The New York Times. Retrieved December 5, 2015.
  28. Jump up^ McKay, Tom (November 28, 2015). "4chan Tentatively Linked to Shooting at Black Lives Matter Rally in Minneapolis". Mic. Retrieved December 5, 2015.
  29. Jump up^ "State of Minnesota vs Allen Lawrence Scarsella" (PDF).Star Tribune. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
  30. Jump up^ Chanen, David (March 3, 2016). "Man charged with assault in shooting outside Mpls. police precinct HQ files motion to dismiss". Star Tribune. Retrieved March 14, 2016.
  31. Jump up^ Zamora, Karen (March 13, 2016). "Alleged shooter in clash at 4th Precinct protest has Tuesday court date". Star Tribune. Retrieved March 14, 2016.
  32. Jump up^ "Minneapolis police clear protesters from 4th precinct". Fox 9. November 24, 2015. Retrieved December 3, 2015.
  33. Jump up^ Holpuch, Amanda (December 23, 2015). "Black Lives Matter protest shuts down Mall of America and airport terminal".The Guardian. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
  34. Jump up^ Smith, Kelly; Chanen, David; Reinan, John (December 24, 2015). "Black Lives Matter protests spill over to light rail, airport". Star Tribune. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
  35. Jump up^ DeLage, Jaime (January 18, 2016). "Black Lives Matter stages Marshall Avenue-Lake Street bridge rally on MLK Day". St. Paul Pioneer Press. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
  36. ^ Jump up to:a b Jany, Libor (March 25, 2016). "As Jamar Clark decision looms, police say violence won't be tolerated". Star Tribune. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  37. Jump up^ Chanen, David; Jany, Libor (March 16, 2016). "Hennepin County to stop using grand juries in officer-involved shootings". Star Tribune. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  38. Jump up^ Walsh, Paul (March 30, 2016). "No charges against police officers in Jamar Clark shooting death". Star Tribune. Retrieved M
*Timeline

4/1/2016

Talk radio 1130 - the narrative he was handcuffed and shot execution style is a total lie. The police chief is despised because she will not defend her police even after they have been exonerated with physical evidence he was not handcuffed and his hands were on the gun. After police told him had to take his hands off or they will shoot, he said he was ready to die. NAACP and Black lives matters called it pushing propoganda and if the city burned, it would be the fault of the police.

March 30, 2015 What we know about the death of Jamar Clark - StarTribune ... Jamar Clark died from a gunshot wound to the head after an encounter with two Minneapolis police officers - Mark Ringgenberg and Dustin ...

Nobody has called it suicide by cop. why? 
Jamar Clark death: Protesters rally after no charges filed against police
CNN International‎ March 31 CNN) Protesters rallied and marched on the streets of Minneapolis on Wednesday after a prosecutor ...

No charges against Minneapolis police officers in Jamar Clark
A day after Hennepin County attorney Mike Freeman announced his decision not to charge two police officers in the shooting of Jamar Clark, a bicyclist ...

Why didn't Jamar Clark take hands out of his pockets?
www.twincities.com/ St. Paul Pioneer Press When Jamar Clark refused to take his hands out of his pockets, he was taken to the ground and the infamous police struggle ensued. He was shot and killed.

Exclusive: Alleged Jamar Clark Victim Speaks Out Did Not Call to Have Police Shoot Him  WCCO ... minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/03/31/rayann-hayes-jamar-clark/
WCCO9 hours ago - MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — The woman with Jamar Clark the night police shot and killed him is telling her story in a WCCO exclusive. ... “I didn’t call and say, ‘Come and shoot him,’ or none of that,” RayAnn Hayes said. ... “Jamar Clark was with his girlfriend, RayAnn Hayes, 41 ...

Watch video of the police fighting Jamar Clark [VIDEO] | City ...
www.citypages.com/.../watch-video-of-the-police-fighting-jam...
City Pages March 30 Hennepin County Attorney promised to release videotapes from the Jamar Clark police shooting investigation soon after his Wednesday morning press...

Evidence details similar July incident with Jamar Clark, MPD ...
www.fox9.com/news/114876721-story
New evidence in the Jamar Clark shooting investigation released Thursday details a similar incident in July involving excessive force in which officers claim ...

March 31 Jamar Clark decision leaves protesters dismayed, but not ...
www.theguardian.com › US News › Minnesota
The Guardian Protesters march in Minneapolis during a rally after prosecutors announced that two police officers would not be charged for killing Jamar Clark. Photograph: ...

March 30 
Prosecutor won't charge cops in Jamar Clark shooting ... Others dismissed the narrative as "propaganda." "We are leaving here with more questions than answers," Minneapolis NAACP President Nekima... there was no physical evidence that Clark had been handcuffed at the time he was shot — a key question in the matter. He also said Clark's DNA was found on the gun and duty belt of one of the officers, which backed up the officers' account that Clark had reached for the weapon during the struggle. they found Clark's girlfriend, RayAnn Hayes, 41, in the apartment building where the party was being held, intoxicated and with abrasions and a split lip. Freeman said the two had fought and "several people saw Hayes slam Clark's head into a door." paramedics carried her down the stairs and outside the building, where Clark was waiting. "That's the guy who did this to me," ... clark started cursing so ambulance crew locked themselves in back and could not drive away until police took away clark... refused to take hands out of pockets... "The paramedics could not leave for the hospital because the driver was locked in the back" ... fficers approached Clark and told him to take his hands out of his pockets, but he refused. Ringgenberg pulled out his gun but kept it down, Freeman added. "What's the pistol for?" Clark allegedly called out. Freeman said that Ringgenberg then holstered his weapon and he and Schwarze grabbed Clark to handcuff him, but couldn't. Ringgenberg then used a take down maneuver — reaching his arm around Clark's chest and neck — and took him to the ground. Ringgenberg landed on his side on top of Clark, who was on his back. As he tried to roll over to handcuff Clark, Riggenberg said he "felt his gun go from his right hip to the small of his back and called out to Schwarze, 'He's got my gun,'" Freeman recounted. Schwarze put his gun to the edge of Clark's mouth and said, "'Let go or I'm going to shoot you,'" Freeman said. At that point, according to Freeman's account, Clark told the officers, "I'm ready to die."
autopsy on Clark, he added, showed a blood alcohol level of .09, slightly above the legal driving limit, as well as the presence of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. Freeman concluded the officers feared for their lives and their actions were reasonable given the situation.
placing too much emphasis on the officers' telling of events and not enough on the testimony of those in the neighborhood where the shooting happened. Others dismissed the narrative as "propaganda." "We are leaving here with more questions than answers," Minneapolis NAACP President Nekima Levy-Pounds told Freeman during the press conference, where she continued to describe the police shooting as murder. "We will not rest until we get justice," she said.
Reaction: Activists say police were aggressors in Clark ... Star Tribune  March 30 Reaction: Activists say police were aggressors in Jamar Clarkconfrontation ..... Nekima Levy-Pounds, Minneapolis NAACP president, and other ... Levy-Pounds argued that the police are pushing "propaganda" and did not ... forensic evidence and a lack of bruising on Clark's wrists supported the officers' version of events. Officers said that during the brief struggle, Clark reached for one of their guns and said, "I'm ready to die." Steve Belton, president of the Urban League, told Freeman that Clark's alleged statement unfairly feeds into a narrative that Clark somehow deserved to die. Levy-Pounds argued that the police are pushing "propaganda" and did not give enough credence to eyewitness accounts of the shooting.
Peaceful protesters take to streets in Minneapolis after Jamar Clark decision
Minneapolis Star Tribune‎ March 30 Minneapolis NAACP President Nekima Levy-Pounds said police are pushing “propaganda” ...

===============================
November 26, 2015 

Mankato officer led Mpls. police to protest shooting suspect ... Star Tribune The new information, detailed in a search warrant application, came as officials got an extension until Monday to file charges in the case.
Court document says Minneapolis Black Lives Matter Jamar Clark protest shooting suspect confessed to police officer ...
CBS News‎ MINNEAPOLIS -- Hundreds of people filled a Minneapolischurch on Wednesday for the ...
Mankato officer led Mpls. police to protest shooting suspect
Minneapolis Star Tribune‎ 



Understanding The Jamar Clark Police Shooting: What You ... Blaze Mary Ramirez might be young, but what she lacks in years she makes up in effort. After beginning her writing career at 16 as a junior columnist ...

fast food workers at a Plymouth, Minnesota Arby’s were getting nervous.
Derek Wolfsteller, who had just notified authorities himself that he was going through a “mental crisis,” was clearly becoming a threat in the restaurant—and workers quickly called 911.
Police responded. Workers were in the process of trying to subdue Wolfstellar, who had already grown dangerous. The police’s commands fell on deaf ears; the Taser didn’t work—and the man grabbed the officer’s gun.
She quickly regained control and was forced to shoot. Wolfstellar took a hit in the head, and died.
With few exceptions, there was virtually no outcry.
And rightfully so. The man was dangerous, he refused to obey the officer, could not be subdued by any other measure, and tried to grab the officer’s gun.
Derek Wolfstellar made a choice, and he paid for it.
Fast forward a few months, and a few miles to the east in the same metro area—and it’s a totally different story.
Never mind that Jamal Clark had added to an already extensive rap sheet by assaulting his girlfriend. 
Never mind that Clark returned to the scene after paramedics were called, and harassed and intimidated paramedics to the point where THEY felt compelled to call 911. 
Never mind that Clark refused to cooperate with police. Never mind that Clark engaged in a physical confrontation with the officers. Never mind that he eventually gained physical control of the handle of one of their guns.
Never mind all that, because we live in one of the most racially polarized periods in recent history.
You see, Derek Wolfstellar was white, and Jamal Clark was black. And somehow when race is made a part of the debate (whether it played a factor or not), personal responsibility suddenly only applies to the officers, and not to the perpetrator.
So how does it all break down? And what, if anything does this have to do with Thanksgiving? Bear with me—I’ll get there.
Let’s take a closer look at the components that don’t always make the news and opinion reels:
Mary Ramirez
Mary Ramirez
Mary Ramirez
Mary Ramirez
Mary Ramirez
Mary Ramirez
Mary Ramirez
Mary Ramirez
In sum? The pasts of the officers, Clark, the girlfriend, and anyone else involved ASIDE—what are the facts? Clark beat someone up. Clark threatened paramedics and made it darn near impossible for them to aid the victim. Clark grabbed for the officer’s gun. THAT’S what matters.
Yup, there’s an alternative narrative. And witnesses to back it up, purportedly. But here’s a nugget for you to chew on: in a world where practically everyone—from toddler to grandma—has a cell phone, no one has even a few seconds of video? It’s just a thought.
And maybe, video will surface. (They’re working on getting footage from a nearby building’s camera.) But until such time, we’re still supposed to look at the whole picture—something we’re not always getting.
I haven’t forgotten—I promised you I’d bring this back to Thanksgiving.
Several men decided to take matters into their own hands as they shot into the crowd of protestors at Minneapolis’s 4th Precinct. They ended up wounding five people with their disgusting act.
Here’s the thing: despite the vitriol, despite the anger, despite the difficulties posed by a community who believes that their work amounts to precious little more than institutionalized racism— police across the community worked to bring those people to justice: “officers and investigators worked nonstop throughout the night to develop suspects and leads,” eventually making arrests.
They worked tirelessly to bring justice for the very people making their lives impossible right now.
So yes, I want you to look at the facts of the Jamal Clark case. And as we look at the video coming out ofChicago, I want us to look at the INDIVIDUAL (both the cop AND the perpetrator) in each case. I alwayswant justice to be served.
But especially on this Thanksgiving weekend, I want us all to be thankful that we live in a country where the very same police who are being harassed, name-called and dragged through the mud for doing their job—are the same police willing to step up in the middle of it all and continue protecting us. What an immense blessing.
Think about that.

Shots fired at Minneapolis protest second night in a row ...
The Washington Post Shots were fired early Wednesday morning near the scene of a Minneapolis protest for the second night in a row.

November 24, 2015
Two men arrested in shooting of Black Lives Matter protesters
 Washington Post  MINNEAPOLIS — Simmering racial tensions boiled over yet again Monday night when several men shot five people who had been protesting ...

November 19, 2105

Nov 19, 2015 Police union: Jamar Clark went for cop's gun, wasn't cuffed KMSP-TV‎  The Minneapolis police union said Wednesday that Jamar Clark was ... their stance that Jamar Clark seized control of an officer's gun and engaged in a "life-or-death struggle for an officer's weapon.". Clark not handcuffed, had control of officer's gun, union says KARE Jamar Clark was not handcuffed when he was shot, but he ... to resist, fight officers and to seize control of an officer's firearm," he said. ...to engage officers in a life-or-death struggle for an officer's weapon.".Anti-Police propaganda site: Many will never believe Minneapolis Police Union Head Claims Jamar Clark Went for Cop's gun. Photography is Not a Crime If Clark did go for the cop's gun, many will never believe that claim.

Nov 19, 2015  Lawyer: Jamar Clark had control of police officer's gun ... CNN Lawyer: Jamar Clark had control of police officer's gun ... (Clark) chose to resist, fight officers, and seize control of an officer's handgun," .

================================

Nov 18, 2015 Police Union: Jamar Clark Reached For Officer's Gun Before ...  Police Union: Jamar Clark Reached For Officer's Gun Before Shooting ...Clark was shot during a struggle with officers who were responding to ...

================================

Lying Witnesses: Jamar Clark was handcuffed when he was shot by police ...  Daily Mail Nov 17, 2015  Ze'Morion Dillon-Hokins told how he watched the shooting of Jamar Clarkfrom just yards away and said: 'They took out a gun and "popped" him in the face.' ....Police are understood to have seized CCTV video which may have .


*Sources
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