Black Lives Matter activists to protest police shooting of Joseph Mann

More than two months after a police shooting left a mentally ill man dead near SN&R’s north Sacramento offices–and just one day after new video footage surfaced–Black Lives Matter activists have announced plans to protest law enforcement’s actions in the incident.

Joseph Mann died July 11 after area  residents called 911 to report that a man was exhibiting erratic behavior near businesses along the boulevard. 

Police arrived on the scene and followed the 50-year-old man along area streets before shooting him multiple times. Mann died on the scene.

Initially police said Mann had brandished a knife and that they thought he was about to pull a gun from his waistband when officers fired.  Police also said some of the callers who reported Mann’s behavior said they’d seen him with a knife or, possibly, a gun.

In the weeks and months since, however, there have been conflicting reports. Lawyers for Mann’s family have filed a wrongful death lawsuit and on September 21 police finally released previously unseen surveillance video footage that, to some degree, contradicts earlier reports. In the footage Mann is shown running from police before stopping to gesture at officers.

In a Tuesday press conference, Police Chief Sam Somers also said that the police were unsure if Mann ever had a gun.

Now, Black Lives Matters activists plan to protest Mann’s shooting with what’s being billed as peaceful demonstration along Del Paso Boulevard. The protest is scheduled for 7 p.m. and Sacramento police and local security officers will be on hand.

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