A WHITE suburban St. Louis cop fatally shot an 18-year-old black man who pulled a gun on him late Tuesday — sparking violent protests near Ferguson, where a shooting in August unleashed widespread unrest.
Antonio Martin was shot dead at a gas station after he pointed a 9mm handgun at the Berkeley, Mo., officer, who was responding to a robbery call about 11:15 p.m., the St. Louis Post- Dispatch reported.
The cop got out of his police car to speak to Martin and another man about the theft when one of them started approaching him, said St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar.
Martin then “produced a pistol with his arm straight out, pointing it straight at the officer kind of from across the hood,” Belmar said.
The unidentified 34-year-old cop was standing near his car door while Martin stood near the left front of the vehicle just before the shooting, Sgt. Brian Schellman of the St. Louis County Police told The New York Post.
The cop — who had left his body camera in the car — fired at least three shots as he was backing off and fell, the chief said.
Martin was struck by one round, while another bullet hit the car’s tire, Schellman said. Police did not know where the third bullet struck, he said.
The cop’s lawyer, Brian Milliken, said his client doesn’t understand why Martin’s gun didn’t fire.
“I’m not sure if he tried to pull the trigger and it jammed,” he told the Post-Dispatch.
Martin’s handgun — with an erased serial number — had five rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber, police said.
The police car’s dash cam was not activated because the vehicle’s red lights were not on, Belmar said.
It was unclear why the cop didn’t wear his body camera and what the Berkeley force policy is about its use. A message left for the chief was not returned. (Yaron Steinbuch – New York Post)
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