Troupe sends cop shooting to feds
By Bill Beene
Of the St. Louis American
While police officials attended a vigil for murder victims on New Year’s Eve, Alderman Charles “Quincy” Troupe interviewed neighbors across town about a controversial police shooting of a North St. Louis boy, calling it unwarranted.
“That was really outright – damn near premeditated – murder,” Troupe told the American about the shooting death of 14-year-old Jeremy Robinson, who became the city’s last killing victim of 2006 when he was shot numerous times December 29 a block from his house.
Robinson was reportedly a passenger in a white pick-up truck speeding through the neighborhood when an unmarked police vehicle alerted a marked patrol car.
The truck allegedly drove toward a parked police car, striking a tree. When police approached the truck, both occupants fled. Robinson – allegedly dazed by an activated airbag – tripped to the ground after a short sprint and surrendered after police yelled directives.
Police officials say the reclining 8th-grader swiveled to his knee and pointed a .45 caliber handgun at the officer, provoking the cop to fire shots into the boy’s body. Police say they ordered the boy to drop the gun.
However, Troupe and witnessing neighbors in the 5000 block of Greer Avenue tell a different story.
An unidentified witness gave Channel 4 News her account:
“They (police) said, ‘Freeze,’ he got on the ground. Once he got on the ground and laid on the ground, the man (police officer) shot him two times, kicked him, turned him on his back, shot him four more times and then put the burner (street slang for a gun) on him.”
Family and neighbors became outraged at the scene, screaming at the police.
The Rev. Gil Ford, regional director of the NAACP, spoke at the vigil, some remarks seemingly befitting of Robinson’s shooting.
“We want to let folks know that, yes, we want safe neighborhoods,” Ford said.
“But we also want to let people know that we’re somebody’s child, and don’t treat me any less than you would treat anybody else, because if they do then we need to stand up and say something about it.”
Troupe and former alderman Irene Smith spent several hours Sunday interviewing family and neighbors so they can not only say, but do something about the shooting Troupe called an act of terror.
“That’s what you call terrorism,” Troupe said. “They’re trying to terrorize these young black boys who already expect to die. They know they’re dying, and they’re looking at us saying we’re letting this happen.”
Troupe put in a call to the U.S. Justice Department for an investigation and awaits an autopsy report to see if Robinson where Robinson was shot.
Troupe believes the location of body shots would prove that Robinson was killed unnecessarily.
St. Louis Metropolitan Police Chief Joe Mokwa told the American he is still investigating the shooting, but said Robinson was not shot in his back.
Mokwa said he, too, interviewed neighbors, who corroborate police reports. Mokwa promised a thorough, balanced and impartial investigation.
“There won’t be any secrets, it’ll be transparent,” Mokwa said, adding that every detail from autopsy to witness accounts will be made publicly available.
Mokwa said the influx of gun possession and citizen-on-citizen shootings in St. Louis and across the country makes policing challenging.
“Elected officials were recently asking us to get aggressive and do everything we can to get people off the streets,” Mokwa told the American.
“It sounds good when you’re frustrated, but when it’s your grandson it’s different,” Mokwa said.
Troupe said Robinson, who attended Turner Middle School, had no past run-ins with the police. He believes Robinson and the driver, who wore dreadlocs, were profiled as more than traffic offenders because they wore the “Bloods” gang color red and were in a late model truck.
The truck wasn’t reported stolen and had reportedly been rented in upstate Missouri. The driver hadn’t been apprehended by police at press time but Mokwa said they believe they know the driver’s identity.
Both Troupe and Ford believe that treating crime with excessive police harassment and incarceration only treats the symptom to a greater problem: poverty.
Troupe spoke against the November 7 election ballot’s Proposition P, which would build two community centers. Troupe said there isn’t enough money to effectively operate the centers and fully service every at-risk neighborhood.
“They don’t have an alternative because there isn’t anything to join but a gang and be on the street and be a target,” Troupe said.
“Poverty is too rampant,” Ford of the NAACP said at the vigil.
“There is an educational system that is failing children, and these adults aren’t being held accountable. There’s ‘supposed-to-be’ leadership that’s not bringing economic revitalization to build infrastructures in our community.”
Last year, 129 people were murdered in St. Louis, two less than the previous year.
Capt. Rochelle Moore, who was recently named commander of the 8th District in the city’s police department, read victims names during the candlelight vigil at Saints Fellowship Mission Church of God in Christ on North Skinker Boulevard.
Victims ranged in age from 3 months young to nearly 90 years old.
Area police, including STLPD Chief Joe Mokwa, Mayor Francis G. Slay and community advocates joined Families Advocating Safe Streets (FASS) in remembering last year’s murder victims and consoling their families.
Moore, previously commander of homicide, vowed to effectively address crime in the city’s embattled neighborhoods.
Tionna Payne, 30, said she attended in remembrance of her younger brother Henry Chandler Jr., who was killed in 2006, but the vigil didn’t help to ease the pain.