On the evening of February 2, 2020, Alvin Cole, a 17-year-old black male, was fatally shot by a Wauwatosa, Wisconsin black male police officer Joseph Mensah, outside Mayfair Mall in Wauwatosa. The shooting occurred after Cole refused a command from the police to drop the stolen gun he was holding and Cole fired a bullet as he tried to flee.[1] Two shots were fired when Cole was on his hands and knees, and the remaining three shots were fired by Mensah while Cole was face down on the ground. Mensah was the only officer among the five other officers at the scene who fired his weapon.
_at_the_Alvin_Cole_rally.jpg) Tracey Cole speaks at a rally for her son on October 15, 2020, in Wauwatosa's Hart Park. | |
| Date | February 2, 2020 |
|---|---|
| Location | Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Type | Police killing by shooting |
| Participants | Joseph Mensah (shooter) |
| Deaths | Alvin Cole |
| Charges | None |
The demonstrations played out against a backdrop of protests worldwide over the murder of George Floyd.[2][3]
Killing
editBlack Wauwatosa officer Joseph Mensah shot 17-year-old Cole outside Mayfair Mall on February 2 after police responded to a call of a reported disturbance at the shopping center. Police said Cole fled from the scene carrying a stolen 9 mm handgun. They cited squad car audio evidence, along with testimony from Mensah and two police officers, that Cole had fired a shot at the police while fleeing and refused commands from the officers to drop the gun.[1] It was determined that Mensah fired his weapon five times.
Cole was the third person Mensah had fatally shot in the five years since he became a police officer, and his death sparked protests in Wauwatosa.[4] Mensah is the only officer who has shot and killed anyone since 2010 in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. The teenager's death sparked protests throughout the summer in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, a city located west of Milwaukee.[5]
Cole's family is being represented by the prominent attorney Kimberley Motley.[6] Motley is also representing the families of the two other men shot and killed by Mensah: 25-year-old Jay Anderson Jr.[7] on June 23, 2016; and 29-year-old Antonio Gonzales[7] on July 16, 2015. The lawsuits were consolidated in September 2022, but a judge dismissed the claims related to Anderson and Gonzales on March 14, 2024.[8]
Video
editThere is video of the shooting. Police videos and video evidence from the nearby businesses seem to show police shouting "drop the gun," before shots are fired.[9]
Reactions
edit
On October 7, 2020 Milwaukee County District Attorney John T. Chisholm announced that Officer Mensah would not be charged because he had reasonable belief that deadly force was necessary.[7] Governor Tony Evers announced earlier on October 7 that he had activated Wisconsin National Guard members as a precaution, which were later confirmed to be "hundreds" of troops.[4] Wauwatosa Police Chief announced on social media that his police department agreed with the decision not to charge Officer Joseph Mensah with a crime.[3]
Also on October 7, 2020, an independent investigator, Steven M. Biskupic, a former federal prosecutor, released an 81-page report that stated officer Mensah should be fired. One of the reasons the report recommended termination: the investigator concluded that Mensah made less than truthful statements. The report went on to say that keeping Mensah on as a police officer would be "an extraordinary, unwarranted and unnecessary risk".[7]
Subsequent protests
edit
Protests have occurred each day since the announcement that Officer Mensah would not be charged. The Wauwatosa Police Department and Wisconsin National Guard have been the main agencies present at each protest since October 7.[4]
The city of Wauwatosa issued a nightly 7:00 p.m. curfew on October 7. Some people ignored the curfew and started marching peacefully in the city. Later that evening and past the curfew, a group of protesters confronted a police line. Police said some people were throwing rocks at law enforcement and buildings and that they used tear gas to disperse the protesters. Local media reported windows were broken at several businesses on the city's north side, including a pharmacy, coffee shop, wall coverings store, cleaners and fitness centre.[10]
In additional protests on October 8, among the most prominent people arrested were 17-year-old Alvin Cole's mother, Tracy Cole and his three sisters who claimed that they were assaulted and arrested by police according to Attorney Kimberley Motley, who is representing the family.[11] Mrs. Cole and her daughter were taken to the hospital and 24 people were arrested for peacefully protesting, according to police. Police and the National Guard were both actively working to patrol the city. On October 10, Rapper/entertainer Jay-Z and his company Team ROC, offered to pay fines for those arrested during the Wauwatosa protests. The rapper also called for the termination of Officer Mensah.[12] The rapper posted bond for several protesters including the mother of Alvin Cole, Tracy.[13]
In a further escalation of protests on October 9, 28 protesters were arrested in a third night of clashes between police and protesters. Police deployed tear gas to stop peaceful protestors. Two arrests were on felony charges, one was a misdemeanor arrest, and 25 were municipal arrests.[citation needed]
An unspecified number of protesters were arrested in the fourth night of demonstrations, October 10, after the usual 7:00 p.m. curfew began. According to police, protesters occupied the Wauwatosa City Hall lawn and blocked traffic on the fourth night of demonstrations.[14] The protests began in Washington Park where demonstrators marched to City Hall where a group of hundreds had assembled to protest. The crowd dispersed at 8 pm when National Guard troops police warned the protestors that they were violating the 7:00 pm curfew.[15] The Wauwatosa Police Department released a statement describing incidents from the fourth night of protests and stating that no property damage was reported.[16]
On October 11, at 5:30 pm protestors gathered near 69th and North Avenue in Wauwatosa. The police arrived at 7:00 pm and told the crowd to disperse. Several protestors refused to leave and were arrested. The curfew expired on October 12.[17]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Wisconsin police chief says he has no reason to fire officer who fatally shot Alvin Cole". NBC News. October 12, 2020. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
- ^ "US: Family of Black teen killed by police arrested at protest". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
- ^ a b Richmond, Todd (October 9, 2020). "Mother, sisters of teen killed by Wauwatosa police arrested at protest in Wisconsin church parking lot". The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
- ^ a b c Richmond, Todd. "Protests spark in Wisconsin after police officer not charged for death of Black man". Global News. Associated Press. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
- ^ "Wauwatosa city, Wisconsin". census.gov. U.S. Department of Commerce. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
- ^ Donati, Jessica (June 24, 2020). "Outside Milwaukee, Protests Over One Officer's Three Killings". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
- ^ a b c d Cramer, Maria (October 8, 2020). "Decision Not to Charge Wisconsin Officer in Fatal Shooting Draws Protests". The New York Times. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
- ^ Richmond, Todd (March 15, 2024). "A judge tosses claims against a former Wisconsin police officer who killed 3 people in five years". The Seattle Times. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
- ^ Sidner, Sara; Razek, Raja; Chavez, Nicole (October 8, 2020). "Wauwatosa police officer won't face charges in deadly shooting of 17-year-old Alvin Cole". CNN. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
- ^ "Police use tear gas during destructive night in Wauwatosa". WKOW. October 8, 2020. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
- ^ Sidner, Sara. "Alvin Cole's mother and sisters arrested after more protests over teen's killing by police, attorney says". CNN.
- ^ Ali, Rasha (October 10, 2020). "Jay-Z offers to pay fines for those arrested during protests for Alvin Cole, including mom and sisters". USA Today. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
- ^ Carissimo, Justin (October 9, 2020). "Jay-Z and Team Roc post bond and pay fines for Alvin Cole's mother and others arrested at Wisconsin protests". CBS News. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
- ^ Chavez, Nicole (October 10, 2020). "More arrests in Wisconsin on fourth night of protests over Alvin Cole's death". CNN. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
- ^ Bohr, Nick (October 10, 2020). "Protestors Walk Home Following Fourth Night of Demonstrations In Wauwatosa". Hearst Television. WISN Channel 12. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
- ^ "No damage reported, 8 arrested during 4th night of Wauwatosa protests". FOX6 News. October 11, 2020. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
- ^ Dortch, Winnie (October 12, 2020). "Wauwatosa's mayor thanks the community for peaceful protesting". WDJT. CBS 58. Retrieved October 12, 2020.