In March, I wrote about the police killing of a homeless man known as Africa in Los Angeles. Five officers descended on Africa, with one of the officers (wrongly) claiming that Africa had seized his gun. Africa was Tasered and then shot six times while he was on the ground.
Days after the killing, LAPD spokesperson Sergeant Barry Montgomery said: "It's going to be a long investigation."
And so it has been. Only now, months later, has the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office finally issued an autopsy report. And here is one example of how the information contained therein is being reported:
The opening paragraph reads: "A new report by the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office reveals an unarmed homeless man shot by LAPD officers on Skid Row in March had methamphetamine and marijuana in his system."
We don't even learn his name. We only learn that he had drugs in his system.
It isn't until the fourth paragraph that we learn the autopsy report contains the information that two of the six shots that killed Africa were "contact gunshot wounds."
One bullet entered his torso, exited his chest and re-entered his right arm, according to the autopsy report. Two were "contact gunshot wounds."The story doesn't even explain what that means. Contact gunshot wounds are "defined as a gunshot wound incurred while the muzzle of the firearm is in direct contact with the body at the moment of discharge. ...Wounds caused by contact shots are very devastating, as the body absorbs the entire discharge of the cartridge, not just the projectile."
These were not shots from a distance, not even "close range." These were shots made by a police officer who had the muzzle of his gun pressed against a man's chest. Twice.
"Contact shots are often the result of close range gunfight, suicide, or execution. Some slaughterhouses use contact shots with firearms to stun or kill livestock."
That's the kind of shots fired into Africa. Twice. In addition to four more shots, two of those lethal.
That is rather more important than the fact Charly had been doing drugs (especially when the video of the incident makes clear he wasn't out of his mind on those drugs).
Unless, of course, your objective is blaming the victim for his own murder.
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