Protests buffet St. Louis after police kill young black man they say was armed

St. Louis police shot and killed an armed black man

(Image credit: AP/YouTube)

published 20 August 2015

On Wednesday, police in St. Louis shot dead an 18-year-old black man while trying to exercise a search warrant in a crime-ridden section of the city. "Detectives were looking for guns, looking for violent felons, looking for people that have been committing crimes in the neighborhood," St. Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson said at a news conference. Two young black men ran out the back door, and when police ordered them to stop, one of them pointed a gun at officers, who then shot him, Dotson said. Police identified the dead suspect as Mansur Ball-Bey.

Soon afterward and again in the evening, crowds gathered near the scene of the shooting. Police arrested nine protesters for blocking traffic on the interstate and said that rowdier protesters threw bottles and bricks at police, set at least one car on fire, and attempted to rob stores in the area. The two white police officers involved in the shooting were placed on administrative leave. You can learn more in the Associated Press video below. Peter Weber

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.

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