No Criminal Charges for Cops in Alton Sterling Shooting Death
CLEARED
Officer Blane Salamoni shot and killed Sterling in a struggle outside a convenience store.
Jonathan Bachman/Reuters
Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry announced Tuesday that the two white officers involved in the July 2016 shooting death of Alton Sterling—which fueled widespread protests—will not be prosecuted. “This decision was not taken lightly,” Landry said. Sterling, a 37-year-old black man, was killed in an altercation with officers Blane Salamoni and Howie Lake outside a Baton Rouge convenience store. The cops had received a call about a man threatening someone with a firearm. Salamoni shot Sterling while he was pinned to the ground, after Lake shouted “gun,” cellphone footage from a witness showed. Nearly 11 months ago, the U.S. Justice Department announced it would not pursue federal criminal charges in the case.
