The policeman was shot dead by a police officer to insult the demonstrators; Mom wants justice

The mother of a security guard who was shot dead by a police officer in front of a south suburb bar said she did not know if the cops had taken her son for an armed man involved in a gun shoot in the bar.

"I do not know if it was a mistake or not," said Beatrice Roberson during a brief interview Tuesday, two days after the death of her son, Jemel Roberson.

But she added, "I really want justice done."

The incident took place after four people were shot at Manny's Blue Room Tavern at Robbins early Sunday morning. A Midlothian police officer, who came to the scene to assist the local police, finally turned his gun on Roberson, an armed security guard who had jumped into action after firing a few shots into the air. bar, announced the authorities.

Roberson, 26, a Lane Tech graduate, lived in Homan Square, West Side. He was black

The officer who fired at him was white, Midlothian Police Chief Dan Delaney said in a statement released on Tuesday. The statement did not include the name of the agent nor any other details. The officer was put on administrative leave, confirmed a police officer on Tuesday.

Eric Russell, of Tree of Life, Illinois Justice League, is leading a protest in front of the Midlothian Police Department on Tuesday to protest Jemel Roberson's murder on Sunday. | Leslie Adkins / For the Sun-Times

The lack of detailed information on the incident, which has attracted the country's attention, has prompted criticism from the department. Two dozen protesters marched in front of the Midlothian Police Department on Tuesday afternoon to demand "justice for Jemel".

"He is a hero for us. We are absolutely shocked by his execution, "said activist Eric Russell. "It reminds Jason Van Dyke. How is it that a police officer from the nearby community who answers the call gets out of the car with guns? "

Nathson Fields, a resident of Robbins: "Jemel was doing his job. He was doing the right thing. He saved people's lives, and they just shattered it.

A Robbins Village Council meeting was canceled on Tuesday night due to insufficient councilors.

Tyrone Ward, mayor of Robbins, said that Manny's Blue Room had been temporarily closed as a result of the investigation, although he said the village had not had any major problems with the bar in the past .

"From time to time, there have been fights and fights, as in any other bar or club," Ward said.

He lamented the involvement of the outside agent.

"I would have liked it to be one of our guys [from the Robbins Police Department] they may be better acquainted with security, "Ward said.

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The Cook County Sheriff's Office is investigating the initial shootings in the bar. At least one of the wounded was considered a gunman and remained in custody Tuesday, said spokeswoman Sophia Ansari.

The investigators were still trying to get video evidence. Two security cameras appeared to be in place outside the club, although the sheriff's office refused to comment on the indoor surveillance.

The Illinois State Police investigate the use of force by the police. Roberson had a valid FOID card but did not have a hidden carry permit, the authorities said.

The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office found that Roberson had died from several gunshot wounds and had found his homicide homicide.

Roberson's mother sued for the excessive force killing and his lawyer, Greg Kulis, said the security guard was dressed in black and wearing a hat at the time of the shooting, bearing the words "safety ".

"It's a security guard!"

When the police arrived on the scene, Roberson was holding "someone on the floor, his knee in the back, his gun in the back," said the witness Adam Harris at WGN-TV.

"Everyone shouts," It's a security guard! "Harris said.

Another security officer at the bar said that the Midlothian officer had jumped on the bar and wielded an assault rifle before running outward and firing hard on Roberson, Kulis said. .

Kulis stated that the surviving guard had told him that the officer had pointed a gun at him until he yelled at him that he was a security guard.

"That's when he jumped out of the bar, brandishing his gun and ran to the door," said Kulis, who refused to identify the other security guard.

Kulis also echoes testimony that Roberson was holding another man outside the bar when the officer arrived and shot him.

The lawsuit alleges that the Midlothian police officer made excessive use of force and asserts that the shooting was "unprovoked" and "unjustified".

Kulis said that he was trying to gather information about the white officer, who he said arrived at the Midlothian Department four years ago from another department and that he was not there. He is a member of a SWAT team.

Midlothian issued a statement that did not apologize.

"Midlothian Village and its police service would like to express their deepest condolences to Jemel Roberson's family," Midlothian lawyer Nick Valadez said.

Valdez refused to comment on the costume. In a separate statement on his Facebook page, the police department called Roberson "a brave man who was doing his best to stop an active shooter situation at Manny's Blue Room."

On Tuesday, the American Union of Civil Liberties of Illinois sentenced the shooting death.

"Working as a security guard in black should not be a death sentence," said Karen Sheley, an ACLU official from Illinois. "In this case, the police were more dangerous to him than an active shooter to whom he
apparently submitted. "

"Here, a police officer's assumptions about Mr. Roberson, seemingly biased, rather than a lucid assessment of the situation, have resulted in a tragedy," she said.

The parking lot where security officer Jemel Roberson was killed. | Mitch Armentrout / Sun-Times

On Tuesday, relatives marked the place where Roberson was shot at the club parking lot with candles bearing his name. On the keys of a toy piano placed next to the candles was the following message: "You play with the biggest of the big now."

"He was an organist and loving son," said Beatrice Roberson. "He played in different churches. A good person, a person who works hard. He loved his family, a person who goes to church.

Reverend Marvin Hunter stated that Roberson was "a remarkable young man" and a promising pianist in his church and many others in the area.

Roberson was trying to "raise enough money for a deposit on a new apartment," said Hunter, the great-uncle of Laquan McDonald, a black teenager shot by Van Dyke in 2014.

Roberson, father of a baby, was also hoping to become a police officer one day, according to his son's mother.

"It was my baby's first Christmas with his dad and now he's going to miss everything," Avontea Boose said.

A GoFundMe page has been created to help cover Roberson's burial expenses and help his family.

Contributor: AP, Sam Charles