An investigation is under way in Miami after a Black therapist was shot by police while attempting to guide an autistic patient out of the middle of the road.
Miami police officers say they were responding to 911 reports of a man holding a gun and threatening to kill himself while walking in the roadway when they encountered 47-year-old therapist Charles Kinsey, along with a 23-year old autistic man in the road.
Video footage of the incident shows Kinsey lying down in the street with his hands in the air while repeatedly attempting to explain to the officers that he’s a therapist and came to help guide the man off of the highway. The man is seen sitting in the road holding a toy truck. When the man refuses to comply with the officers’ instructions to lie down, one officer fires his assault rifle and strikes Kinsey in the leg.
Kinsey told WSVN News that when he asked the officer why he shot him, the officer replied “I don’t know.” The North Miami Police Department later released a statement regarding the incident, confirming that the officer involved has been placed on administrative leave.
News release on officer involved shooting @CBSMiami @WPLGLocal10 @nbc6 @wsvn @Univision23 @MiamiHerald pic.twitter.com/Sj3nENe665
— North Miami PD PIO (@nmpdnews) July 19, 2016
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