This Wednesday, local news outlet WSVN aired video that was taken moments before a man was shot by police this Monday. But police are now under fire because Charles Kinsey had his hands raised in the video and was unarmed.
Kinsey, who survived the shooting, explained to WSVN that is a caregiver and was simply trying to assist an autistic man, who can be seen sitting next to him in the video.
“I thought it was a mosquito bite, and when it hit me I had my hands in the air, and I’m thinking I just got shot!” Kinsey said, describing the moment he was shot “And I’m saying, ‘Sir, why did you shoot me?’ and his words to me were, ‘I don’t know.’”
Police say they arrived on the scene after getting a 9-11 call about a man with a gun threatening to commit suicide.
“Arriving officers attempted to negotiate with two men on the scene, one of whom was later identified as suffering from autism,” said North Miami Police in a statement. “At some point during the on-scene negotiation, one of the responding officers discharged his weapon, striking the employee.”
Police later claimed the autistic man “had something in his hand,” but Kinsey can be heard in the video telling officers that the object in question was a toy truck.
According to North Miami Police, the officer who shot Kinsey has been placed on administrative leave. There’s no word yet as to whether or not he’ll face charges.
Watch:
[Gawker]
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