A Black man suspected of suffering from mental illness was hit with 14 bullets by a Nashville, Tennessee, police officer after witnesses claimed he was in the street dancing with a gun.
The shooting has caused some within the community to claim the victim’s race influenced the shooting.
“He’s out here dancing in front of the pizza place,” a 911 caller named Calvin told the dispatcher.
On the evening of Jan. 29, witnesses in north Nashville said they observed an unidentified Black man believed to be homeless dancing in the middle of the street and waving around a gun. The man also reportedly pointed it toward people nearby dining at restaurants in the vicinity. The man also reportedly dropped the gun in the street a few times before picking it up as he gyrated in the middle of the street.
“He’s out here dancing in front of the pizza place,” Calvin said to the 911 dispatcher.
“He’s just pointing it in the air,” Calvin continued describing during the call.
Another man identified as Jerome Wilson also called 911 for help after observing the man in the street with a gun.
“You got a guy out here with a gun walking down the street threatening people by this business,” Wilson told the dispatcher.
“He’s playing with this gun and pointing at people in the middle of the street,” Wilson continued describing to the dispatcher.
The dispatcher began asking for a physical description of the unidentified Black man with the gun. Wilson suspected he was homeless and suffered from a mental illness.
“I don’t know if he’s homeless or mentally retarded. I don’t want the police to come if he’s mentally disabled. I still want to watch out for that, but y’all need to come get him,” Wilson said.
The 47-year-old continued gyrating in the street with a gun in hand. “He was just in the street yelling and pointing the gun,” Wilson said to the…
Read the full article here