All articles tagged with #police shootings
During Tanzania's recent elections, police targeted civilians far from protests, resulting in at least 13 deaths in Mwanza and an estimated 700 extrajudicial killings nationwide, amid allegations of deliberate violence against opposition supporters and a crackdown on dissent, raising serious human rights concerns.
Youth riots erupted across France following the police killing of a 17-year-old boy of Moroccan and Algerian descent. The riots resulted in widespread destruction, with over a thousand buildings burned, damaged, or looted. The violence has sparked debates about abusive policing, economic opportunity, and neglect from the state. While politicians offer various solutions, the riots are expected to have long-term consequences, including boosting the popularity of far-right candidate Marine Le Pen, deepening anger in immigrant-populated suburbs, and further eroding trust in the police force.
The fatal shooting of a 17-year-old boy during a police traffic stop in a Paris suburb has sparked outrage and raised questions about the use of firearms by French police. The incident is the latest in a series of deadly encounters, with most of the victims being of black or Arab origin. French law allows police to shoot in certain situations, including when a driver or occupants of a vehicle refuse to stop and are deemed to pose a risk to the officer's life or others. Critics argue that the law is too vague and has led to an increase in fatal police shootings. The government and police defend the policy, stating that fewer people have been killed by police since the law was implemented. However, a study disputes this claim, showing an increase in police killings since 2017.
Recent cases of police shooting or killing individuals who called 911 for help have raised questions about police hiring, training, policy, and accountability. Policing fatality data is poor, but a Washington Post database suggests police have fatally shot over 8,500 people since 2015, with Black Americans shot at a disproportionate rate. In each case, officers arrived on the scene and acted too quickly, highlighting the need for de-escalation techniques and better information gathering. Efforts are now focusing on training dispatchers and equipping officers to respond to mental health emergencies.
The Albuquerque Police Department (APD) has released its first-ever police shooting trends report, which shows that officers were involved in 18 shootings in 2022. The report highlights several trends, including that two-thirds of officers involved in the shootings have six or fewer years of experience, and one-third of the suspects have a history of mental crisis. The APD is now considering seven changes, including increased training on hands-on tactics, less-lethal munitions, and wound care. The department plans to hold police shooting reviews every six months, with some new training starting in April.