North Miami police caught using mugshots of black suspects for target practice
A Florida National Guard sergeant, Valerie Deant, recently went to the gun range in North Miami Beach, Fla., happening to use the facility right after the local police department's target practice session. As she and her fellow guard members prepared to start their own practice, however, she noticed the targets the police had been using: mugshots of real black suspects, including a photo of her brother, torn through with bullet holes.
She called her brother, who was arrested almost two decades ago for participating in a drag race in which two people died. Since then, he has turned his life around and was shocked to find his face was being used for target practice. "I'm not even living that life," said Deant's brother, Woody, whose picture was used. "I'm a father. I'm a husband. I'm a career man."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
