A man has been brandished a hero by police after he shot dead a man who was attacking a police officer in the middle of the road.
Video has just been released by the police showing the incident and shooting. Ashad Russell was filmed responding to the calls Deputy Dean Barde in Estero, Florida, who was being pinned to the floor and beaten by suspect Edward Strother, following a police chase.
In the video below which shows the entire incident, Officer Barde can be heard shouting ‘Shoot him! Shoot him!’
This happened back in November but this footage has only just been released.
Back in November Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott wrote to Facebook:
‘Earlier this week, two heroes met on I-75 and while they had never met before, one would save the others life.
‘I thank the hero that recognized the imminent threat, rushed to Deputy Bardes’ aid, and ultimately stopped that threat.
‘In a day and age where race is a near instant focus for media and other pundits in police incidents, the fact is that this hero happens to be a man of color who stopped another man of color from further harming or killing a white cop; thereby reminding us that black lives matter, blue lives matter, and indeed all life matters.’
I have a lot of issues with this story. The police seem to be using it to say “see, there are some good black guys” whilst still throwing in Blue Lives Matter rhetoric. Of course Russell was helping but a man is dead now that maybe should not have been, had the policeman been on patrol with a partner, a taser could have been used or just general training to overpower the man who died.
Watch the video below and let us know your thoughts:
