On Monday (May 17), a crowd of more than 100 people gathered outside of the Pasadena City Hall in California to demand justice for Anthony McClain who was shot and killed by police last August.
“We came to stand with these children to say not this time,” civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who attended the rally, said. “You will not sweep Anthony McClain under the rug.”
McClain was fatally shot on August 15, 2020 after a car in which he was riding in the passenger seat got pulled over by police for missing a license plate. Police said that the driver admitted to driving with a suspended license and Anthony attempted to flee from the vehicle.
Body and dash camera footage shows an officer discharged his firearm twice, striking McClain in the shoulder and back.
McClain’s family has disputed officers’ claims about what happened during the traffic stop and deadly encounter. In a federal civil lawsuit filed in October, McClain’s family said he was holding his belt buckle, not a gun, when officers shot and killed him. According to CBS Los Angeles, the family also allege officers “planted” the gun found at the scene to justify the shooting. The suit also claims that officers shot McClain “without warning” and “with no legal justification.”
A city council meeting scheduled for Monday (May 17) was cancelled due to the rally. Members of George Floyd’s family also attended the demonstration, demanding police accountability.
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