BREAKING: Police Shoot Another African American Man Dead in St. Louis Area
Editor's note: The Guardian's live-update coverage reported:
1h 4m ago Police have shot dead a 23-year-old African American in St Louis, according to Sam Dotson, the St Louis City chief of police.
55m ago The victim had stolen two energy drinks from a convenience store and was wielding a knife and acting erratically, said Dotson.
Dotson said witnesses could hear the man saying: “shoot me now, kill me now.”
He said the man did not respond to demands to drop his weapon as he approached the officers, carrying the knife with an overhand gesture. The man was within three to four feet of the officers when they shot him.
“I think officer safety is the number one issue,” Dotson said.
Police are reported to have shot dead a man wielding a knife in the St Louis area on Tuesday.
Sam Dotson, the chief of the Metropolitan Police Department for the city of St Louis, confirmed the shooting in a press conference and a tweet, and said the person who was shot was brandishing a knife at officers. No police were injured.
Local news outlet KSDK reports that the shooting took place in the north St Louis area, about three to four miles from ongoing protests in Ferguson, Missouri.
Dotson said during a press conference that the suspect was “acting erratically” and that people in the area contacted police.
Officer involved shooting in the sixth district. Suspect brandished knife at @slmpd officers. No officers injured. Investigation is ongoing.
— Chief Sam Dotson (@ChiefSLMPD) August 19, 2014Police confirm officer-involving shooting in St. Louis. Many spectators gathering. Heavy police presence. pic.twitter.com/rAdjLqpRLY
— Gabe Gutierrez (@gabegutierrez) August 19, 2014
