#ChristianTaylor is no different than #SandraBland what will they say now pic.twitter.com/EOTsEidUNh
— ASSATA♎️OLUGBALA (@AssataAntoinett) August 8, 2015
Christian Taylor, a 19-year-old football player at Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas, was shot and killed by a white officer-in-training after allegedly crashing his car into a car dealership, USA Today reports.
Officer Brad Miller, 49, was allegedly responding to a burglary call at the time of the shooting.
Taylor was unarmed.
Read more at USA Today:
The Arlington Police Department has no video of the incident because the department has not yet put in place a pilot program in which officers will wear body cameras, said a police spokesman, Sgt. Paul Rodriguez. It also was unclear whether the dealership’s security cameras captured what happened.
Police responded at about 1 a.m. CT Friday to Classic Buick GMC dealership on an Interstate 20 service road after reports of a sport-utility vehicle being driven through the front of the building, Rodriguez said. Authorities initially called the driver a burglary suspect.
“Officers established a perimeter and approached the suspect inside,” he said. “As officers confronted the suspect, there was an altercation during which at least one officer discharged his weapon.”
Rodriguez had graduated from high school in Arlington and was a sophomore at Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas, where he played on the football team as a defensive back. He was planning to return to school Sunday to continue football practice.
Within hours of Taylor’s death, his name began trending on Twitter. He actively tweeted about police brutality and the Black Lives Matter movement, and several people shared some of his most recent tweets:
I don’t wanna die too younggggg — October 13th (@he_got_sneaks) July 31, 2015
I don’t feel protected by the police
— October 13th (@he_got_sneaks) August 12, 2014
Taylor’s coach, Will Wagner, expressed his hurt at his player’s death on Twitter:
Heart is hurting — Will Wagner (@Coachwillwagner) August 7, 2015
Taylor’s ASU family and teammates also expressed their sadness on Twitter:
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Christian Taylor. Your presence will be missed, but not forgotten. #ramfam
— ASU Ram Football (@ASURamFootball) August 7, 2015
My Friend . My Teammate . My Brother . . . Gone . Rest In Peace Christian Taylor .
— KWash (@KWashington_7) August 7, 2015
Praying for @ASURamFootball as they deal w/ the tragic loss of one of their own. Please lift up the young man’s family as well. #RIP#RamFam
— Colby Carthel (@CoachCarthel) August 7, 2015
Taylor’s death comes almost one year to the day of the state-sanctioned killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. Brown’s death at the hands of then officer Darren Wilson sparked the Ferguson Uprising.
#ChristianTaylor: Unarmed Black Football Player Fatally Shot By White Cop “In-Training” was originally published on newsone.com
