Baton Rouge is in an uproar after cell phone footage surfaced of the fatal shooting of Alton Sterling by Baton Rouge police.
Sterling, 37, was selling CDs outside a convenience store when police arrived on a report he had a weapon. A struggle later ensued between Sterling and the two officers and Sterling was ultimately shot.
One of the officers discovered Sterling had a gun on him during the struggle before they opened fire on him.
A gun was later removed from Sterling after he was shot dead.
The fatally shooting of Alton Sterling by Baton Rouge police has set off protests in the Hip Hop community.
Meek Mill and Fabolous were among the community’s most vocal.
Meek posted video of the shooting onto his IG account.
“Executed this man about selling bootleg DVDs! Smh it’s only gone get worst! They don’t care about us!” his caption read.
Meek then posted a video of cops successfully subduing a white man in another incident.
Meek wrote, “Let’s reverse it now see how this go!”
Meek went on to proclaim he was a victim of police corruption:
“Just imagine what the police report said before they knew This was recorded… What a coincidence they saying the body cams did not work, it’s sad! I was found guilty of pointing a gun at the 2 strike force officers in the middle of a full blown raid…. They came at least 7 cops at one time and not a single shot fired! This was b4 cameras was available… I take these situations serious when I see so many of my people losing their lives and freedom to the people they say are suppose to protect us!i got 16 years of probation for being lied on and back and forth to jail under strict supervision has made my life a living hell dealing with the system! Just imagine the people that don’t have a voice! Something has to happen soon …. It can’t just be social media post and conversations when they continue to destroy us like this!”
Fabolous had this to say about Sterling’s killing:
“It saddens me that 5 kids are growing up without their father. 2 white Police Officers killed Alton Sterling while he was standing outside a store selling CD’s. These officers got a call that a man was outside the store with a gun but for some reason the officers were wearing Body Cam’s that weren’t connected & recording. Wrestled him down to the ground with no warrant to do so & shot him in the chest & back!! When is America & the judicial system that’s suppose to protect us, gonna make these officers who are killing black men take responsibility for what’s going on. This is literally getting away with MURDER & it continues to happen #RipAltonSterling”
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards told reporters today the U.S. Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division would be the lead agency investigating the shooting. The U.S. attorney’s office in Baton Rouge, the FBI and state police also will be involved.
