The family of Alton Sterling, the 37-year-old man fatally shot by police in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in an incident caught on video by a witness, held an emotional press conference Wednesday morning to call for justice.
During the press conference, Sterling’s son, Cameron, one of his five children, broke down in tears, saying “I want my daddy!,” as his mother spoke.
“He had to watch this as this was put all over the outlets,” his mother, Quinyetta McMillon, told reporters. “As a mother I have now been forced to raise a son who is going to remember what happened to his father.”
Video: Son of #AltonSterling breaks down in tears as family speaks out about Baton Rouge shooting t.co/53dz3PN4c0
The press conference was also attended by the Sterling’s aunt, Sandra Sterling, who raised him and calls him her son; the family’s attorney, Edmond Jordan, who is also a Louisiana legislator; Michael McClanahan, the president of the Baton Rouge chapter of the NAACP; State Representative C. Denise Marcelle; and Pastor Johnny Young of Heavenly Hope Ministries.
The NAACP called for Baton Rouge Police Chief Carl Dabadie Jr., to resign or be fired.
Alton Sterling. (Facebook)
Alton Sterling was fatally shot during an incident involving two Baton Rouge police officers, who have not yet been named. The officers were put on paid administrative leave as an investigation is conducted. You can watch the video of the shooting here.
Sterling was shot and killed about 12:35 a.m. Tuesday, The Advocate reports.
He was selling CDs outside the Triple S Food Mart, at the corner of Fairfields Avenue and North Foster Drive, WAFB-TV reports.
Officers had responded to a disturbance call in which the caller said someone had been threatening him with a gun, police told the news station.
Baton Rouge Police have released few details about the shooting, including whether Sterling was armed. But a witness told The Advocate that Sterling did have a gun, but was not holding it or reaching for his pockets during the incident.
