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As It Happens

Alton Sterling family lawyer calls Baton Rouge police shooting death 'appalling, but not surprising'

The U.S. Department of Justice is now investigating the death of the 37-year-old black man, who a video shows was shot while being pinned down by police officers. As It Happens speaks with family lawyer Edmond Jordan.
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Alton Sterling, 37, left. His son, Cameron, Cameron's mother, Quinyetta McMillan, and their lawyer Edmond Jordan, far right, at an emotional press conference. (Facebook; The Advocate )
As It Happens6:29Alton Sterling family lawyer calls the Baton Rouge police shooting death 'appalling, but not surprising'

Baton Rouge police Chief Carl Dabadie Jr. says there's still "a lot that we do not understand" about the death of 37-year old Alton Sterling.

But for many, the video of the incident speaks volumes. It shows Sterling pinned down by two Baton Rouge police officers. Then the sound of gunshots.

Warning — This video contains disturbing images:

Police say officers responded to the store in the early hours of Tuesday morning after receiving a call that a man selling music CD's had threatened him with a gun.

The store's owner told a local TV station that he saw officers Taser Sterling and tackle him before shooting him. He said he saw officers remove a gun from Sterling's pocket after the shooting. The investigation into the shooting has now been turned over to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Nishka Johnson touches a makeshift memorial for Alton Sterling, outside a convenience store in Baton Rouge, La., Wednesday, July 6, 2016. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) (Gerald Herbert/Associated Press)

Edmond Jordan is the family attorney for Alton Sterling. Here is part of his conversation with As It Happens guest host Susan Bonner:

Susan Bonner: Can you describe the video? What does it show? 

Edmond Jordan: It shows Alton being tased, it shows him being tackled by one of the officers, and as these officers have him down, both of his arms pinned. He looks like a man who is just trying to survive. He's lifting his head, as if a man who were drowning trying to get above water. As he's trying to do that, one of the officers lifts off of his chest and fires shots into his body. 

SB: How do you see what happened to Mr. Sterling, his death, his shooting, this video, in the context of what we've seen in the United States with other African-American men killed by police? 

EJ: I'd tell you disturbing, appalling, disgusting, but not surprising. It's a sad thing to say, but it's not surprising. I think we need to get to a point in our society where we are surprised that a young man... is killed when he is subdued and not appearing to be any threat at all. 

SB: Can you just bring it back to Alton Sterling and tell us a little bit about who he was?

EJ: Let me say this. I never had the pleasure of meeting Alton. His aunt described him as a 'gentle giant,' that he would give you the shirt off his back. He was jolly. He seemed to be a good man, not a perfect man. I just hope and wish I would have had an opportunity to meet him.

To hear more, take a listen above to our full interview. 

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