Man says Helena-West Helena officer unnecessarily pulled gun during encounter
'He's Trying To Shoot Me': Black Man Says Cop Unnecessarily Pointed Gun At HimTruitt said he was afraid and started filming with his cell phone just in case.
"I started rolling because he jumped out with his gun," Truitt said.
He said the officer gave demands, but he didn't want to make even the slightest move.
'If I Would Have Complied, I Would Have Got Killed': Man Narrowly Avoids Being Shot By Cop on Facebook Live“Shut the car off!” the officer then orders.
Truitt refused.
“My hands are in the air,” Truitt could be heard saying. “I ain’t moving my hands. He trying to shoot me.”
When confronted by a man armed with a badge, a gun, the full authority of the state and the immunity bestowed upon the thousands of law enforcement officers who have pumped police-issued bullets into black bodies with impunity, should one obey the words of a pistol-wielding police officer? Should one comply with a cop’s commands, even if they are conflicting, or—at the very least—confusing?
Or, should one just comply with death?
This was the dilemma faced by Edrick Truitt on Sunday night when he was confronted at gunpoint by an Arkansas police officer who seemingly did everything in his power to make sure Truitt recycled the overused hashtag used by deceased compliers like #RekiaBoyd, #PhilandoCastile, #OscarGrant, #BothamJean, #DontaDawson, #Rumain Brisbon, #AmadouDiallo, #JohnCrawford and #JerrySmith.
