Police officer fired over fatal shooting of black man whose death set off protests
The firing comes less than a week after Louisiana's attorney general ruled out criminal charges in Alton Sterling's death.
Saturday 31 March 2018 01:03, UK
A white police officer has been fired for fatally shooting a black man, whose death set off widespread protests in Louisiana.
Blane Salamoni shot Alton Sterling, 37, six times during a struggle outside a convenience store he where was selling homemade CDs in July 2016.
Police said Sterling was trying to pull a loaded gun out of his pocket when Salamoni opened fire.
Salamoni was dismissed for violating department standards on use of force and for losing his temper in the deadly incident, Baton Rouge Police Chief Murphy Paul told a news conference.
The second officer involved in the confrontation, Howie Lake, was suspended for three days for violating the command of temper standard.
Lake helped wrestle Sterling to the ground but did not fire his weapon.
The decisions followed an administrative review of the shooting, and both officers plan to appeal.
Mr Paul said: "My decision was not based on politics. It was not based on emotions. It was based on the facts of the case."
Police also released body camera footage and other videos of the officers' fatal encounter with Sterling.
In the body cam footage an officer can be heard repeatedly using profane language as he shouts at Sterling and at one point threatens to shoot him in the head as Sterling asks what he did.
Officers recovered a loaded revolver from Sterling's pocket. As a convicted felon, Sterling could not legally carry a gun.
L Chris Stewart, a lawyer representing two of Sterling's five children, said the newly released videos show Salamoni attacked Sterling without provocation "like a wild dog".
"The most obvious thing that stands out is Alton wasn't fighting back at all," Mr Stewart said. "He's trying to defuse it the whole time."
Last week Louisiana's attorney general ruled out criminal charges in the shooting since evidence showed their actions were justified.
The Justice Department ruled out federal criminal charges last May.
Sterling's death inflamed racial tensions in the state's capital city and led to protests where nearly 200 people were arrested.