Protests in Memphis: anger provoked by police firing may have fueled violence



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The protest began shortly after US marshals shot dead a man in the northern district of Memphis in Frayser, officials said.

Protesters threw bricks at the police and vandalized police cars, leaving at least 36 injured officers and deputies, the police said.

Three people were charged with disorderly conduct and one of them was also charged with inciting riots.

The police retreat under a cloud of tear gas as protesters disperse Wednesday night in Memphis.

"This incident was all fresh in the minds of people," said Martavius ​​Jones, Memphis city council member, whose district includes Frayser.

It does not matter that the Memphis police are not involved in the shooting, Jones said. "It was always the police and a person killed, a young black man killed," he said.

The marshals shoot and kill a 20-year-old man during an arrest

The Marshals fired on Brandon Webber, 20, while they were attempting to arrest him Wednesday under several warrants related to an incident that occurred on June 3 in Hernando, Mississippi, the office said. Tennessee survey.

Webber was seen outside of a house getting into a vehicle. He allegedly "steadied his vehicle several times in the police vehicle before he went out with a weapon," the office said. "Officers fired by hitting and killing the individual, no officer was injured."

Webber was wanted for the murder of a man in Hernando, about 25 km south of Memphis, as well as for the theft of his car, officials said.

Webber had responded to a social media ad about a vehicle, told reporters John Champion, prosecutor of the 17th Circuit Court of Mississippi.

Webber and the man who was selling the car did a test drive on June 3 and while they were changing places, Webber shot the man five times, said Champion.

The owner of the car identified Webber in a series of photos, and the Mississippi authorities contacted the marshals on June 8, asking them to make an arrest.

Hernando's warrants were for aggravated assault, armed robbery and conspiracy to commit armed robbery, said Champion.

Authorities said Webber was driving a red Infiniti during the Wednesday night incident – the same vehicle was allegedly stolen from Hernando.

Authorities in Hernando said that there was another suspect in the June 3 incident. This individual allegedly drove Webber to Memphis.

"Bad luck and bad coincidence"

Wednesday night's violence was the result of anger over black gunfire by police all over the country and "a case of bad luck and bad coincidence," said Jones, a city council member.

A Memphis police officer watches a damaged police car on Wednesday.

Webber was shot dead the day many locals learned that no charge would be withheld against a Memphis officer who allegedly killed and killed Terrence Carlton, a black man, in April 2018.

The Memphis police were investigating two shots and spotting Carlton, which matched the description of a suspect, according to a letter from Shelby County Attorney General Amy P. Weirich to the police chief of police. Memphis, Michael Rallings.

Carlton ran but stumbled, and he did not obey the orders of the officer to show his hands, the letter said. The officer said Carlton appeared to have something in his hand, according to the letter. Carlton also told the officer: "I'm going to kill you," according to the story of the latter. The officer fired twice at Carlton's abdomen.

Neighborhood fight against violence and poverty

Memphis police are preparing for the crowd as protesters take to the streets of the Frayser community.

Webber was a graduate of Central High School in 2017, who reported deploying additional security and bereavement counselors across the school district.

"My heart is shattered by the news of Brandon Webber's death," said center director Greg McCullough. "I remember that he was a very talented arts student, he seemed to really like his experience at Central High and he was well engaged with the others."

Shelby County Commissioner, Tami Sawyer, tweeted that she had gone to Frayser shortly after the shooting, because "it's my district." I went there because I stay with my people, people are suffering. "

"Do not judge Frayser without asking a community how we feel the grief of their young people again and again," Sawyer tweeted. "What do people do with their suffering and trauma when they become too much, when a city has ignored them, when their loss is too heavy, and when they can no longer cry to heaven?"

North of downtown Memphis, Frayser is a neighborhood of violence, poverty and high unemployment.

"The unemployment rate is very high in the Frayser area, but it's still a very proud area, as are many places in Memphis," Jones said.

The board member from Memphis recalled that Firestone and International Harvester employed many Frayser residents in the 1970s and early 1980s.

"With large employers who have left the immediate neighborhood, you have found limited employment opportunities," said Mr. Jones. "With limited employment opportunities, you have bigger pockets of poverty in this area than in other parts of the city."

According to the US Census Bureau, the postal code that includes most of Frayser is approximately 80% black, and more than four in ten residents live below the poverty line. The median income in the postal code that includes Frayser is $ 27,326, according to census counts.

Terrence Boyce, a youth basketball coach who lives in the neighborhood, said that there are "a lot of smart people in the community who want to do great things".

"It's hard to get out, so you put your energy on the streets and gangs, and all the negative," said Boyce, mayoral candidate.

"The community needs to be heard.These children need outlets to do things.We need activities, we need programs."

"The neighborhood is a victim"

Rallings, the police chief and Mayor Jim Strickland congratulated the Memphis officers for keeping calm Wednesday night.

"I am impressed by their professionalism and unbelievable restraint, as they have been thrown by stones and spitting," said Strickland.

Police chief Michael Rallings addresses reporters after clashes.

The rallies also praised protesters who remained peaceful or tried to quell the violence.

"I know that there are a lot of people in the crowd who have tried to help keep everyone calm," he said.

Rallings, who is black, said the police department welcomed the peaceful demonstrations. It is when the demonstrations become violent that the protesters end up harming their own community, he said.

"When these acts of violence occur in a neighborhood, the neighborhood is a victim," said Rallings.

"My message (Wednesday night) is that we should all wait and make sure we know exactly what happened before spreading misinformation, or jumping to conclusions, not having the facts, and I think that it is dangerous. "

Holly Yan, Jamiel Lynch and Amanda Watts of CNN contributed to this report.

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