Witness: New Orleans cops shot mentally retarded man in back as he ran away

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/12/18/nopd.shooting/

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (CNN) -- New Orleans police lined up "like at a firing range" and fatally shot an unarmed man in the back as he fled from them in the days after Hurricane Katrina swept ashore, a witness to the shooting told CNN.

It marks the first time a witness has come forward publicly with information about the shooting of Ronald Madison, a 40-year-old mentally retarded man whose death has sparked a police investigation and a grand jury probe into what happened in and around the Danziger Bridge that day.

"He just fell like he was collapsing," Kasimir Gaston told CNN. "Like something just wiped him out." (Watch Gaston describe what he saw )

Gaston was one of many flood refugees living on the second floor of the Friendly Inn, a low-income motel on the city's east side. On Sunday, September 4 of last year, he says he woke up and stepped onto the balcony of the motel and saw a man running, hands outstretched and being fired upon.

Initial police accounts said that Madison reached for his waistband and turned on police, but Gaston said Madison did not appear to have a weapon and that he was running away from police "hands out, full speed" when he was shot.

Police declined CNN's request for an interview.

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1. I was appalled by the way law enforcement community reacted to Katrina

It seems like it was open season on the poor and homeless population of NOLA. So much so, that they had to bring in a special team just to deescalate the situation.

I feel then, as I do now, that this was criminal on the part of law enforcement community, and I think that those that participated should be charged with the crimes they committed, rather than just chalking it up to the situation.

[malaise]

2. How many more innocents must die

before the people say Efuggingnough!