Pasco Shooting Protests & Video: Demonstrators March in Seattle, Washington Following the Police Shooting of Immigrant Antonio Zambrano-Montes [Watch]
Hundreds of demonstrators in Seattle hit the streets and blocked traffic Wednesday night as they demanded justice for an unarmed Hispanic man who was fatally shot by police officers last week.
The victim, Antonio Zambrano-Montes, was gunned down by police on Feb. 10 in a predominantly Hispanic community in Pasco, about 200 miles away from Seattle. Video footage of the incident shows the 35-year-old Mexican migrant running away as police appear to open fire. Zambrano-Montes was then fatally shot after he stopped running and turned toward the police.
Police said Zambrano-Montes was throwing rocks at cars and police at a busy intersection in Pasco before the shooting and then refused to drop the stones. They also said they tried to use a stun gun to subdue him. However, protesters are demanding the Department of Justice launch a federal probe to investigate the incident.
"The murder of Antonio is completely outrageous," said Emma Kaplan, 29, a Seattle resident who helped organize the protest, reports Bloomberg Business. "It's unjust. And it's a pattern that's going on in this country."
Protesters held up signs reading, "We Can't Breathe," in light of the chokehold death of Eric Garner by the NYPD, while chanting, "No Racist Police," and, "Not One More."
According to Eduardo Baca, the Mexican consul in Seattle, the video shows that police used excessive force.
"I don't want to prejudge anything, but, just by the video, it would seem the response was disproportionate to whatever threat could have been perceived by the police," he said during an interview with KIRO radio.
Felix Vargas, the chairman of Consejo Latino, also argued any probe should be handled by the Justice Department.
"In all, about 15 rounds were fired in a very congested area during rush hour," Vargas wrote, reports Fox News Latino. "Having mortally wounded him, the police proceeded to handcuff this dying man without rendering aid or even checking his pulse."
The officers involved in the shooting have been placed on leave.
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