Earlier this week, it was announced that Officers Howie Lake and Blane Salamoni would not face criminal charges in the shooting death of Alton Sterling.
One of the two white officers who wrestled Alton Sterling to the ground and killed him outside a Louisiana convenience store was fired after an excessive force investigation. The second officer will be suspended for three days.
Baton Rouge Police Chief Murphy Paul made the announcement and detailed the investigation into both white officers, Howie Lake and Blane Salamoni, stemming back to the 2016 shooting. Body camera footage and other video and audio will be released after the decision is announced.
Salamoni, the only officer to open fire, was terminated. Lake will be suspended for three days. Neither are in danger of being charged criminally, though, as an investigation by the state’s Attorney General did not find sufficient evidence of a crime. The finding was announced earlier this week.
Paul said the differing disciplinary actions were due to the differing actions by the officers. Lake was trying to deescalate the situation while Salamoni resorted to deadly force, which Paul said did not follow departmental policies.
« We have two officers involved in one incident, » he said. « The same incident with two different responses. »
It’s been nearly two years since the fatal altercation, which triggered massive protests and accusations of police brutality on black men. Paul said he hopes the announcement will remove the « cloud that has been over our community for far too long. »
« Our police officers are held to a higher standard, » he said. « Fear cannot be a drivers » for officers.
The officers told The Advocate (Baton Rouge) that they would appeal the decision if fired.
The announcement comes just hours after an independent autopsy revealed an unarmed black man in California was shot eight times, most of the bullets hitting him in the back.
The shooting death of Stephon Clark along with the findings in Alton Sterling’s death has reignited tensions between police and minorities and led to nationwide protests.
More: Stephon Clark shot 8 times, mostly in back, independent autopsy finds
Earlier this week, it was announced both officers wouldn’t face criminal charges in Sterling’s death.
« After a thorough and exhaustive review of the evidence, the facts that can be established beyond a reasonable doubt… the Louisiana Department of Justice cannot proceed with the prosecution, » Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry announced Tuesday.
Sterling, who is black, was selling homemade CDs outside a convenience store in Baton Rouge when he was approached by the officers, who were responding to a report of a man with a gun.
The officers said Sterling refused an order to put his hands on the hood of a car, and soon the officers were wrestling the 300-pound Sterling to the ground.
The investigation found that Salamoni believed Sterling, 37, was reaching for a gun in his pocket. Salamoni shot Sterling three times, then fired three more shots into Sterling’s back when he began to sit up.
The struggle and fatal shooting was captured on cellphone videos that quickly went viral, igniting protests nationwide.
Police recovered a loaded gun from a Sterling’s pocket. The convicted felon was legally barred from carrying a gun.
Landry also said it was reasonable for Lake and Salamoni to believe that Sterling was under the influence of drugs during their confrontation.
Contributing: John Bacon, USA TODAY
Follow Christal Hayes on Twitter: Journo_Christal
