By James Simons-
The IPCC should clarify the circumstances under which they shot a former gang member.
The Independent Police Commission are investigating the shooting of former gang member, Sherrif Cousins, after he was shot and put in an induced coma.
The public deserve to know in each case of a police shooting that the shooting is justified. Firearms police are expected to shoot only if they have good reason to believe that their life is in immediate danger. Cousins was in past times part of the fearsome Burger Barr boys gang- a gang which had a running feud with arch rivals, ”The Johnson Crew”, from the early 90’s, right through to the end of the decade.
SHOOTINGS
The gang was involved in a number of shootings over a drugs turf war, and Cousins spent 14 years in jail, including an 8 year term for firearms and intent to endanger life. He set up the New day Center when he was released from jail, saying on his social media page that his purpose was ”to unite communities, starting with my own in Birmingham”.
Cousins has long been a recognized name on the streets of Birmingham , and is said to have wanted to turn youths away from gang culture. His decision to set up a center to help youths is praiseworthy, but some people in the area told The eye of emdia.com that Cousins, like anyone, was still prone to the odd confrontation. .
A local in the area who didn’t want to be named told the eye of media.com ” you can take the man away from the streets, but you can’t take the street away from the man.
”Not all past runnings with rivals are always fully forgotten, some forms of damage can leave scars ”. The man said he was not suggesting this was what had happened here, but that something had occurred involving the fear of a fire arm present, which led to police being called.
However, the IPCC have not clarified why the police officer who shot Cousins felt the need to do so. In a statement, the IPCC said police was called in response to intelligence about a fire arm, adding ”we have gathered police worn video which captured footage of the incident. That will be reviewed.
”A police firearm has been secured. There is early evidence to indicate that a single shot was fired by one police officer”. Police arrested a 21 year old man on suspicion of firearms offences, as well as a 17 and 20 year old man, and a 53 year old woman for drug offences.