On Alton Sterling shooting in Baton Rogue, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has 'very serious concern'

Gov. John Bel Edwards, surrounded by law enforcement representatives and legislators addresses the media during a press conference at the Governor's Mansion concerning the shooting of Alton Sterling by Baton Rogue(photo by Patrick Dennis)

Story by Baton Rogue's The Advocate
Written by Elizabeth Crisp

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards announced Wednesday that the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division will take the lead on the investigation into the fatal shooting of Alton Sterling by a Baton Rouge police officer.

Edwards said he has "very serious concern" after seeing footage of the deadly shooting and said "the video is disturbing, to say the least."
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Graphic video shows fatal confrontation in Baton Rogue, La.: http://kirktanter.blogspot.com/2016/07/graphic-video-shows-baton-rouge-police.html
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Edwards said he had seen no other footage of the incident other than the bystander video that has been widely circulated online. In that video, two Baton Rouge Police officers can be seen holding Sterling, a 37-year-old black man, on the ground outside a convenience store and at least one of the officers shooting Sterling several times.

The Dept. of Justice said in a statement that the FBI’s New Orleans Division, the Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana have opened a civil rights investigation into Sterling’s death.

“The Justice Department will collect all available facts and evidence and conduct a fair, thorough and impartial investigation,” the DOJ statement read. “As this is an ongoing investigation we are not able to comment further at this time."

Standing on the steps of the Louisiana Governor’s Mansion Wednesday morning -- less than three miles from where the fatal shooting took place, Edwards called for unity.

“Violence and destruction of property is not an answer to anything we face today,” he said, flanked by several state lawmakers from Baton Rouge, including Sen. Regina Barrow and Reps. Pat Smith, Ted James and Denise Marcelle.

Edwards, a Democrat who took office in January after serving eight years in the state Legislature, also called on the public to have faith in the independent investigation into Sterling’s death, saying that there should be no doubt that it will be investigated fairly.

“I have full confidence this matter will be investigated thoroughly, impartially and professionally, and I will demand that that’s the way it’s conducted, and I know the people of Louisiana will join me in doing so,” Edwards said.

Edwards wouldn’t comment directly on calls for BRPD Chief Carl Dabadie Jr. or Baton Rouge Mayor Kip Holden to resign.

Edwards said he had been in touch with Holden earlier in the day and they shared a mutual wish for an outside investigation into the deadly shooting.

Edwards said he had also been in touch with the White House and that he had reached out to Sterling’s aunt, Sandra, who raised him like a mother, and spoke to her by phone Wednesday morning.
Edwards planned to spend Wednesday afternoon meeting with community and faith leaders in north Baton Rouge, he said.

“I’m calling for unity in this very difficult time,” the governor stressed.