By: Amanda Anderson-Niles
Florida continues to be a pretty dangerous place for unarmed black men. Just a couple of weeks after George Zimmerman was found not guilty of murdering unarmed black teen Trayvon Martin, new reports claim yet another unarmed black man was shot because he was mistaken as a criminal. However, this man was actually shot by Florida cops, and it’s being reported he was shot in his mother’s driveway because the police thought he was trying to steal a car parked at his mother’s home after he walked outside to retrieve a pack of cigarettes. Apparently a neighbor called the police when they saw the black man walking up the car they didn’t recognize. It didn’t take long for the situation to escalate and again highlight the serious issues of racial profiling Florida and numerous other states continue to have in this country. Think Progress reports:
This weekend, deputies from Escambia County, Florida shot an unarmed man who went to grab cigarettes from the car parked in the driveway of his mother’s home. A neighbor called police at 2 a.m. because he suspected 60-year-old Roy Middleton was stealing the car. Things quickly escalated when two deputies arrived and ordered Middleton to “get your hands where I can see them.”
According to reports, the police shot at Roy Middleton seven times, and he was shot in the leg. Five bullets hit the car and the side of the house.
Middleton says he thought the officers were joking considering he was in his mother’s driveway, but once he turned to face the officers after backing away from the vehicle and raising his hands in the air, the police began shooting. Middleton says the police acted like a “firing squad” although he was unarmed.
As a result of the Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman situation, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the State Attorney’s office are now investigating. The involved officers are currently on paid administrative leave.
Interestingly enough, the Florida cops are doing what they do best and blaming the victim and claiming they only opened fired because he “lounged” at them, something that most likely never happened.
Are we the only ones trying to understand why so many people in Florida seem to be okay with shooting first and asking questions later?
Florida is such a joke!
Black men need to get the hell up out of Florida.
Yes they do!!! Because being a black man in Florida is obviously a crime.
SMDH! I’m so tired of this!
When will it stop this is ridiculous I thought Texas was the most racist state but Florida obviously are following their own rules and takes justice in their own hands because we see it time and time again. Sad.
Why are these cops shooting first? They aren’t qualified to be police officers behaving like this.
Yeah I’m done with Florida. That whole state is f-cked up.
What 60 year old man steals a car in his own driveway?
Exactly!
White folks in Florida are trippin.
Someone will be getting paid!
Didn’t the Neighbor know the man?
I guess in the dark, we all look alike #rollseyes
Guess not, cause you know how we all look alike in the dark. #rollseyes
At this rate, if the folks in Florida don’t be careful, it’ll be the start of a new civil rights movement.
A cop should never shoot unless there is clear evidence their life is in danger.
This is what happens when you hire racist pigs to be cops. Every black man looks suspicious to them.
Ridiculous.
Something is seriously wrong with the mentality of these white Floridians
They trying it.. We better stick together like or ancestors during the entire black equality struggle since day 1…
Smh
I think what saddens me is that it’s not just Florida. This is America. I can’t understand how people expect “us” to be proud of where we’re from when we can’t even live freely and comfortably here. We’re in quite the awkward position where we don’t belong anywhere, but with each other; and we can’t even find peace and comfort within that ’cause we do just as much damage to ourselves.
Well said….only God can help us!