Unarmed 22-year old Oscar Grant killed by police.

"On my mama, ya'll some bitch ass niggas". That was the verdict from one of the eye-witnesses to this corruption. And that pretty much sums it up for me. A couple of hours after midnight on New Year's Eve, a 22-year-old black man was detained by transport police on a subway platform in Oakland, California. The unarmed man was pinned to the ground and shot in the back. The shot killed him. The homicide was witnessed and captured on film by several cameras. More video, more information, and some in-depth coverage by Davey D, after the continued.







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(The Observers) The scene took place at around 2am on 1 January in Fruitvale metro station, Oakland. The victim, Oscar Grant, held a criminal record. The bullet fired by the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transport) police officer shot through Grant's body, hit the ground, and ricocheted back once more. He died shortly after being transported to hospital.

The police were involved in several disturbances on New Year's Eve, including the questioning of armed individuals. The BART authorities explained that the officers we see in the video had just broken up a fight which had brought a metro train to a standstill. They say that the shot was accidental. One of the theories put forward by the American press is that the officer believed he was using a Taser gun and not a firearm with bullets. The victim's family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the BART police service, and on Monday a protest was organised in front of the BART head office.

Oakland suffers from a particularly high crime rate and tense race relations. Some 30-35% of the population is African American. Such an incident - caught on amateur film, which means a viral effect is certain - could add fuel onto an already simmering fire. (source)