Man Killed by Police on Livestream Watched by Family

High-speed chase preceded Wednesday's shooting in Indianapolis
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted May 7, 2020 10:55 AM CDT
Man Killed by Police on Livestream Watched by Family
Stock photo.   (Getty Images/TheaDesign)

A protest extended late into the night Wednesday in Indianapolis, where a black man was fatally shot by police in an encounter livestreamed on Facebook. A high-speed chase began around 6pm as police said they spotted a vehicle driving 90mph on Interstate 65, nearly hitting other cars and "disobeying all traffic signals," per the Washington Post. In a Facebook livestream titled "High speed chase lol," the shirtless driver—identified by family as 21-year-old Sean Reed—is seen trying to evade officers. "Almost lost him y'all!" he says at one point, per the Indianapolis Star. "I'm not going to jail today!" He then gives his location as he parks the vehicle. "Somebody come get my stupid ass," he says to some 4,000 viewers, including his own family. "Please come get me!" He runs, refusing an officer's command to stop, before one or two pops are heard, per the Star.

Police say the officer deployed his Taser. The man appears to collapse before 11 or 12 shots are heard in quick succession. Two more shots follow a short pause. Reed's sister tells WISH that her family had been watching the footage in real time. She rushed to the scene not knowing if her brother was alive. "Looks like it's going to be a closed casket, homey," a voice says following the shooting, per the Post. Police say both the officer and victim fired shots. A gun found at the scene doesn't belong to the officer, who was uninjured and is now on administrative leave, according to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. Officers haven't identified the victim or the officer but describe both as black men. As many as 150 protesters chanted "Murder!" in the aftermath. "I am disgusted, horrified, tired, and angry," one tells the Star. "We deserve better." (More police shooting stories.)

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