When yet another video emerges of an unarmed, handcuffed person being shot to death by police, instead of being outraged, many AMERICANS first leap to the idiotic question of “why didn’t they just comply?”.
I’ve never claimed to be the smartest man in the world, but one thing I do know is there’s NO reason to be pointing a gun at someone who is completely incapacitated & laying on the ground. That’s exactly how these situations happen.
Javonte Howell was that close to becoming the next hashtag, all because this overzealous police officer was pissed off the man “wasn’t listening”.
“Not listening” to commands isn’t a death sentence, & this is what NFL players are kneeling to bring awareness to.
Fox 17 has further details:
An internal affairs review FOX 17 obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request says police received a call about an armed robbery attempt in the parking lot of the CVS Pharmacy at 727 28th St. SE. The caller said he was punched in the face by a suspect who implied he had a gun.
Several officers responded to the scene, where they say they found 28-year-old Javonte Howell, a homeless man who matched the suspect’s description. Officers say Howell wasn’t complying to verbal commands. A taser was used and he dropped to the ground.
Howell is now down & being handcuffed. It is then that Officer Kevin Powell took it upon himself to approach Howell with a rifle pointed at him, press it against his head and talk crap to him.
The report continues:
While Howell was being handcuffed, the report says Penn went to Howell with his rifle drawn. He then pressed the muzzle against Howell’s head with “downward pressure.”
“This is a gun, if you move, you possibly could be injured, do not move, does that make sense?” Penn told Howell. Howell said he understood and began crying that he was hurting. The report says Penn immediately responded, “Yes it does.”
Howell was complying with officers while being handcuffed, the report notes. The officer putting the handcuffs on Howell. Officer James Smith, reportedly realized the force Penn was exerting on Howell and pushed the muzzle away, telling Penn, “All right Kevin.
Powell has resigned in the wake of the dashcam tape, after one of the other officers at the scene said Penn used unreasonable force.
Good thing there was video evidence, the word of another officer, & everything in the universe lined up correctly.
You know the complaint itself wouldn’t have even been listened to.
Flip the page for more photos of the unnecessary force:
