A 60-year-old unarmed black man was racially profiled and shot by two sheriffs in his own yard. According to a report by Pensacola News Journal, Roy Middleton, 60, was looking for a cigarette in his mother’s car at 2:42 a.m. when a neighbor saw him in the car and called 911 to report a burglary on July 27.
Deputies Jeremiah Meeks and Matthew White arrived at Middleton’s home and drew guns on him. Middleton said he raised his hands, but the sheriffs began opening fire on him without checking to see if he was the owner of the home. Middleton was shot in the leg.
Although Middleton’s wounds are not life threatening, both of the deputies shot 15 rounds at the victim with a .40-caliber glock. In addition, his mother’s car was riddled with bullet holes and several bullets hit the back door to the home.
Once shot, the sheriffs would not allow his mother to step outside of her own home to see her wounded son.
After two days of silence, the deputies finally spoke out about the incident and claimed that Middleton lunged at them. However, a teenage witness said that she saw the incident and Middleton did not pose a threat to law enforcement.
Both of the officers have been placed on paid leave as an investigation occurs. Once again, it is highly likely that race played a factor in the profiling and shooting of an unarmed black man.
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