FBI joins investigation into police shooting of suspects amid community outrage
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) -- The FBI is launching a civil rights investigation into a fatal shooting by Fort Lauderdale police. The announcement came Thursday as residents expressed anger at a chaotic community meeting.
Anger and confusion continues to fuel a community's aggravation after police shot and killed one man and injured another on Tuesday.
Less than a mile away from Tuesday's fatal shooting, family and community members gathered and demanded answers. "I want to know what exactly happened," said Andrea Eddies, the cousin of the man who was killed. "I want to know why was he shot with the windows still rolled up. How did that happen? Obviously he wasn't close enough to him to see that he had a weapon."
Police shot and killed 21-year-old Troy Eddines when they opened fire on the stolen sport utility vehicle he was driving. Police say, after stopping him, Eddies put the car in reverse and hit one officer in the leg.
"They do not care anything about the community, they do not have any remorse for the family or anybody," said Eddines.
Police shot 21-year-old Travis Jackson as he sat in the passenger seat. Jackson was released out of the hospital and arrested on Thursday for an unrelated armed robbery.
Tuesday's fatal shooting is the fourth in the past six months for Fort Lauderdale Police, making it the deadliest year on record for the department. "The city certainly shares the community's upset; it's a tragedy," said Ted Lawson a spokesperson for Fort Lauderdale police. "The city is conducting a thorough investigation in conjunction with the FBI, so the community can be assured it will be done thoroughly and competently."
Today officers will receive non-lethal means of taking suspects into custody. Sixty taser guns will be handed out to officers, and many hope it will help put an end to the deaths at the hands of police. "I do hope and pray that something will be done and that justice will be served where it's supposed to be served," said a community activist Reverend Jessie Robinson.
The involved officers, Robert Norvis and Todd Hill, remain on administrative leave.
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