Another unarmed black man shot dead after police mistook his pill bottle for a gun
A Phoenix white police officer on Tuesday December 2nd, shot dead
Rumain Brisbon, a 34 year old father of four, after he mistook Brisbon's
pill bottle for a gun.
According to Phoenix police report, Brisbon
was suspected of peddling hard drugs. Following a tip-off, he was
approached by a 30 year old white police cop to asked him to come down from his
Cadillac SUV for a search which he agreed to.
According to the police version of events, while coming down from his vehicle, Brisbon was said to have 'appeared to be removing something' from the rear seat. The officer instructed him to show his hands but instead Brisbon placed one or both hands in his waistband area before fleeing to a nearby apartment building.
According to the police version of events, while coming down from his vehicle, Brisbon was said to have 'appeared to be removing something' from the rear seat. The officer instructed him to show his hands but instead Brisbon placed one or both hands in his waistband area before fleeing to a nearby apartment building.
The
police officer pursued him and they claim he refused the officers
command asking him to get on the ground. Then they claim he began
insulting the officer who he struggled with after he was caught.
The
police report said “During the struggle Brisbon put his left hand in
his pocket and the officer grabbed on to the suspect’s hand, while
repeatedly telling the suspect to keep his hand in his pocket,”.
The two men tumbled inside an apartment after a door was opened. The
officer believed he felt the handle of a gun while holding the suspects
hand in his pocket”, the statement continued. Having become “unable to
maintain his grip on the suspect’s hand”, the officer shot Brisbon twice
in the torso. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
A search of Brisbon’s pocket showed the item was a vial containing
several oxycodone tablets. Police report said a handgun and a jar
apparently containing marijuana was found inside Brisbon’s SUV. Brisbon
was found to have a criminal record including a burglary conviction.
The
officer, who has worked for the department for seven years, was not
harmed. Police said he was in the area to investigate an alleged
burglary but was told by two people that men inside a black Cadillac SUV
were engaged in a drug deal.
Brandon Dickerson, a friend of Brisbon who was driving with him at the time of the incident told the Arizona Republic
that Brisbon was at the apartment building where he was shot dead to
deliver fast food to his children. The newspaper reported that “on Wednesday evening, strewn french fries still littered the front porch”.
Marci Kratter, an attorney for Brisbon’s family, told the newspaper they were considering a wrongful death lawsuit.
“It
was a senseless tragedy,” she said. “He was unarmed and not a threat to
anyone. We intend to pursue this to the full extent of the law.”
