EAST PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Last night, East Pittsburgh police officers fatally shot 17-year-old Antwon Rose, who allegedly fled a vehicle during a traffic stop. The officers reportedly believed the driver was involved in a separate shooting, and the two other young men fled the scene when law enforcement approached.
Reggie Shuford, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, issued the following statement in response:
“Based on the information that is currently available, the East Pittsburgh police officers involved in this tragic situation seem to have disregarded Antwon's basic humanity when they chose to use lethal force. While we await more details of what happened, it appears through the cell phone video that he was running away from the police. Our heart breaks for Antwon's family, and we express our deepest condolences to them.
“We expect the Allegheny County Police Department and the district attorney to conduct a thorough, extensive, and transparent investigation.
“The presumption of innocence is one of the guiding principles of our legal system. Fleeing from a scene does not give law enforcement the right to indiscriminately shoot young boys or anyone. No one, especially children, should ever fear death at the hands of police. Lethal force should be an absolute last resort, not a first option.”
