*A Mississippi police officer is under investigation after he shot and killed an unarmed Black man and allowed a police dog to mutilate him. According to attorneys, 37-year-old Antwun “Ronnie” Shumpert ran during a routine traffic stop. The father of five was pulled over by Tupelo Police Officer Tyler Cook around 9:30pm on June 18, ThinkProgress reports.
When Shumpert exited his vehicle and immediately ran for unknown reasons, the officer released a K-9 that found Antwun hiding under a nearby home. The dog gashed a hole through his testicles during the attack and Officer Cook then shot Shumpert four times when he found him.
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Carlos Moore is representing Shumpert’s family. He says Antwun was also found to have suffered from injuries to his face and teeth, indicating that there may have been a physical altercation between him and Officer Cook. Shumpert died five hours after being transported to a medical center for treatment.
“We believe the officer just went berserk,” Moore told ThinkProgress. “It was a modern day lynching.”
According to an eyewitness, Shumpert was not violent toward the officer, nor did he resist arrest. He voluntarily surrendered while exiting his hiding space when the K-9 violently attacked his groin. As Shumpert struggled to get free from the dog’s grip, Cook allegedly shot him three times in the chest and once in the stomach.
Officer Cook has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. As we all know, anytime cops investigate cops, justice is always served…. #SaidNoOneEver.
Carlos believes there’s no question that officer Cook’s handling of the situation was out of line. Moore elaborated on the incident during a press conference on Monday, where he also spoke about the testimony of the eyewitness, and the dog attack.
“It whipped and mutilated and annihilated this man,” Cook said. “He tore his body to shreds, basically. It’s just horrible the way it was done.”
Cook also questioned why it was necessary for officer Cook to shoot Shumpert, given that he was unarmed and severely injured from the brutal K-9 attack. “If you’re going to release your dog and your dog gets to him first, why are you then going to turn around and execute him in cold blood?” he continued. “Your dog has already mutilated him. He could not have been a threat to anyone.”
Moore says the Tupelo police department has yet to provide Shumpert’s family with any explanation regarding the disturbing incident.
