Black men killed by police officers is unfortunately becoming too commonplace in the news and the case of Darrien Hunt is reportedly yet another one of those instances without a caveat for deadly force.
Saratoga Springs police initially stated that they shot and killed the 22-year-old Hunt after he lunged at them while wielding a samurai sword. The autopsy concluded that Hunt was shot multiple times in the back, a finding that aligns with witness testimonies who say that Hunt was actually running away from police at the time he was gunned down.
The Hunt family’s attorney Randall Edwards released a statement through the Associated Press which read, This is consistent with statements made by witnesses on the scene, who report that Darrien was shot to death while running away from police,” family attorney Randall Edwards said in a statement. “It would appear difficult, if not impossible, to reconcile these facts with a story that Darrien was lunging toward the officers when he was shot.”
And contrary to the police report, the sword was a “3-foot long toy sword with a rounded-edge” purchased from an Asian gift store, Hunt’s aunt said.
The Saratoga Springs Police Department released a since-deleted defiant statement on their Facebook page yesterday afternoon:
“Everyone should remember that the news outlets have ratings they need to gain. They don’t report facts. They use innuendo, opinion and rumor and then report it as fact. The same thing happens here on FB and other social media. The real facts are being determined by an independent investigation, and not in a rushed or haphazard manner. … There is no coverup and there is no corruption.”
Regardless, the Hunt family still feels that if Darrien wasn’t Black, he would still be alive.
Scroll through the gallery to see pictures of the crime scene. The investigation is obviously still ongoing.
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Photos: Fox 13, ABC 4
