Holy. Fucking. SHIT.
Sabrina Reid just put me on to a police dash cam video from South Carolina regarding an incident that occurred between Levar Jones and a state trooper on September 4, 2014.
The video shows a state trooper pulling up to a gas station as Jones gets out of his car.
The trooper yells for Jones to produce his license.
Jones bends into his car to get his license and the trooper opens fire and strikes the man.
Jones, in shock, backs away from the car WITH HIS HANDS IN THE AIR.
In a stunning act of inhumanity, THE TROOPER CONTINUES TO FIRE UPON JONES—WHO CLEARLY HAS HIS HANDS UP.
Jones falls to the ground and the fucking trooper yells “Get on the ground!”
The wounded Jones, already on the fucking ground, says to the trooper, “I was getting my license. You said ‘get [my] license.”
The trooper continues to treat Jones as though he were guilty of some heinous crime, talking to him as though he had already been tried, convicted, and sentenced.
He walks over to Jones and tells him to put his hands behind his back.
Jones asks, “What did I do??”
The trooper ignores him and continues to tell him to put his hands behind his back.
“Are you hit?” the trooper asks.
“I think so,” the confused Jones says. “I can’t feel my legs.”
“Why did you shoot me?” Jones asks.
“Well, you dove head first back into your car.”
NO HE DIDN’T. HE FOLLOWED YOUR ORDERS TO RETRIEVE HIS LICENSE.
“I was telling you to get out of your car,” the trooper said.
Yes, but he SHOT Jones at CLOSE RANGE even before Jones had the chance to COMPLY with the BRAND NEW ORDER the trooper gave to get out of the car. He literally FIRED ON JONES WHILE HE WAS TELLING HIM TO GET OUT OF THE CAR.
And why? Because the man unbuckled his seat belt before coming to a full stop in the gas station.
Yes, y’all.
This was all over a seat belt.
….
Look, I’m fucking tired.
I’m tired of marching.
I’m tired of praying.
I’m tired of talking.
I’m tired of singing spirituals.
I’m tired.