An Indianapolis man has been shot dead while running from the police as he streamed the encounter on Facebook Live. The incident which happened Wednesday sparked massive protests with family members and demonstrators calling for justice in the latest officer-involved shooting.
A tense crowd of more than 100 people gathered near the crime scene at West 62nd Street and Michigan Roads, seeking answers after the ghastly incident, which was on Facebook Live.
The man who was shot by officers from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department was later identified as 21-year-old Sean Reed, the Indianapolis Star reports.
Citing the Department, the Washington Post reports that Reed was being chased for reckless driving. After he exited his car, a police officer chased him on foot for a short distance, resulting in an exchange of gunfire around 6:15 p.m., the Post reported. At least 13 or 14 shots were heard.
Even though the police were yet to officially name the officer or the driver, The Post states that the Department disclosed that both were black men. That notwithstanding, the officer has been placed on administrative leave pending further investigation.
“Both the officers and the detectives have done their due diligence in preserving that evidence through the proper legal channels, and if it’s associated that there’s information on there that’s appropriate for the investigation, they’ll utilize it,” Chris Bailey, a police spokesman, told reporters on Wednesday.
Bailey further disclosed that the suspect had a gun and that he and the officer were the only two at the scene when the shooting occurred.
Thirty-seven-year-old Tiona Reed who identified herself as Sean Reed’s aunt said the family was yet to receive any information about what happened, Indianapolis Star reports.
“I feel like to lose a life, especially at a young age, there’s never going to be justice,” Jazmine Reed, the victim’s sister told WISH, adding her family watched the pursuit on Facebook and heard the shooting happen in real.
“Cause he’s gone — there’s never justice for that. Even if somebody was to get time or whatever for it, it’s never going to be justice because he’s never coming back,” she added, “I shouldn’t have to bury my little brother.”
In the Facebook Live recording, Reed can be heard saying, “Please come get me. Please come get me!” while driving away from the police to nearly 4,000 people tuning in to watch, explaining in obscenities where he was and calling for help, The Post reported.
“Somebody come get my stupid ass,” the man said. “Please come get me! Please come get me! Please come get me!”
The Indianapolis Star states that Emergency Medical Services arrived a short time after the shooting and declared Reed dead at the scene.
According to multiple reports, another recording of the video captured a conversation at the scene in the moments after the shooting, where one of the men off-camera said: “Looks like it’s going to be a closed casket, homey.”
