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police-involved shooting of 45-year-old Derrick Kittling

Source: Sean Gardner / Getty

The investigation continues into the police-involved shooting of 45-year-old Derrick Kittling, the brother of Louisiana State Police Lt. Colonel Kenny VanBuren who was shot in the head and killed by a Rapides Parish Sheriff’s deputy in Alexandria, Louisiana.

According to the Alexandria Town Talk, the deputy involved in the shooting has been identified as Rodney Anderson. On Sunday, Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office dashcam video was released that showed a physical struggle between Anderson and Kittling that occurred just before the shooting.

Louisiana State Police released the video during a news conference Sunday at Troop E headquarters. (It’s worth mentioning that officers with Troop E were involved in the beating, choking, tasing, and killing of 49-year-old Ronald Greene—which an officer lied about claiming he died from injuries sustained in a car crash—as well as the betting of Antonio Harris, which officers bragged about.)

 

From the Town Talk:

In the video, Kittling, 45, reaches for deputy Rodney Anderson’s Taser and a struggle ensues. The Taser was fired at least twice, the video shows, but it was unclear whether it hit Kittling or the deputy.

That is one part of the incident State Police are still trying to determine, Col. Lamar Davis, State Police superintendent, said in response to reporters’ questions.

Also shown during Sunday’s news conference was a video recording taken from Anderson’s body cam as well as another video taken by a bystander.

State Police said the entire incident transpired over 58 seconds.

I’m not really sure why police officers feel the need to emphasize how quickly a shooting incident went down. It just seems like all that exposes is how fast officers resort to deadly force.

Anyway, the video also shows Kittling asking Anderson why he was pulled over in the first place. Anderson didn’t answer the question. Davis was asked by reporters if Anderson exercised proper protocol in refusing to answer a simple question often asked by motorists who don’t know why they were stopped, to which Davis responded by saying State Police investigators are looking into that question and are consulting Sheriff’s Office. (It’s wild that whether or not a citizen has the right to know why they’re being pulled over is a thing that needs to be investigated.)

As it turns out, according to Davis, Anderson reportedly pulled over Derrick Kittling for a potential window tint violation and a modified exhaust.

“There is no, quite frankly, best-case scenario when you have to draw your weapon and when you have to use your weapon,” Davis said. “So it’s important to understand that this was during a struggle, and during that struggle that is what occurred and we’re trying to get to the bottom of that.”

Meanwhile, Anderson remains on paid administrative leave while the investigation continues and, of course, Davis is asking community members who are demanding justice for Derrick Kittling for patience.

“Oftentimes when we have these kinds of situations and incidents, there’s the expectation that we can wrap up an investigation of this magnitude within a week or two, and it doesn’t necessarily happen that way,” Davis said. “We have witnesses we have to interview. We have additional evidence that we have to secure, and as we secure that evidence, for us what’s next is to continue to conduct a very thorough investigation. We’re not going to do anything, take any shortcuts. We’re going to turn over every stone we can to make sure we get the facts of this investigation.”

According to Davis, State Police will then turn over their findings to the Rapides Parish District Attorney’s Office after the investigation concludes.

SEE ALSO:

Black Driver Who Louisiana Cop Shot ‘In The Head’ Is Brother Of Top State Police Leader

Hair Products Linked To Higher Cancer Rates Among Black Women, Lawsuit Claims

The post Louisiana Deputy Who Shot Derrick Kittling Identified. Louisiana State Police Release Dash Cam Video appeared first on NewsOne.

Louisiana Deputy Who Shot Derrick Kittling Identified. Louisiana State Police Release Dash Cam Video  was originally published on newsone.com

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