January 28, 2016

Six Cleveland, OH Policemen Fired After Firing 137 Shots Killing Two Unarmed Civilians



Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams
Photo: AP

[From article]
Six Cleveland police officers were fired over their involvement in a November 2012 chase that led to the fatal shooting of an unarmed black man and woman, city officials said on Tuesday.
Six other officers in the incident, which involved a 137-shot barrage, were suspended for 21 to 30 days, and another retired last year, officials said. All the affected officers were white, except for one, who is Hispanic.
[. . .]
Six Cleveland police officers were fired over their involvement in a November 2012 chase that led to the fatal shooting of an unarmed black man and woman, city officials said on Tuesday.
Six other officers in the incident, which involved a 137-shot barrage, were suspended for 21 to 30 days, and another retired last year, officials said. All the affected officers were white, except for one, who is Hispanic.
[. . .]
The chase on Nov. 29, 2012, began in downtown Cleveland after reports of gunfire coming from Russell’s car, where Williams was a passenger.
But no weapon was found. A forensic mechanic testified at Brelo’s trial that the car was prone to backfiring.
The Cleveland chase, which involved more than 100 officers, lasted more than 20 minutes and went through multiple cities at speeds topping 90 mph (145 kph), ending in a school parking lot where Russell was shot 24 times and Williams 23 times.
[. . .]
Steve Loomis, president of the union that represents Cleveland officers, said the firings were “shamefully political” and “the direct result of the current and false narrative surrounding the facts and law enforcement throughout this country.”
The union has filed grievances to get the officers their jobs back.
The firings and suspensions were announced after a 90-minute news conference which detailed a chaotic scene, with bullets flying in all directions. Brelo fired at the civilians from the hood of his squad car, officials said.
Cleveland paid the families of Williams and Russell $1.5 million each to settle a wrongful death lawsuit.

http://nypost.com/2016/01/26/cleveland-cops-fired-over-137-shot-barrage-that-killed-2/

Cleveland cops fired over 137-shot barrage that killed 2
By Reuters
New York Post
January 26, 2016 | 6:18pm

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