Charges have been lessened against a man in Miami who was shot by police in March.
On Tuesday, the resisting arrest without violence and aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer charges against Donald Armstrong were reduced to one count of misdemeanor resisting arrest.
On March 7, Armstrong was shot, close to the entrance of a residence on Northwest 57th Street and 7th Court. Police have stated that he had a sharp object in his possession. Authorities were called to the residence by Armstrong’s mother due to a mental health crisis.
Cellphone recording showed the incident with the police and the shooting that followed.
Armstrong’s attorney, Ben Crump, stated that the video depicts Armstrong with a screwdriver in his hand. He was then shocked twice by a Taser. When he fell to the ground, police shot him. After he went to the ground, he was shot further, Crump added.
In total, nine shots were fired, and Armstrong was hit six times.
“It goes without saying what happened on that video is unconscionable,” stated Crump.
He also said that Armstrong did not deserve to be fired at ‘like a dog.’
The lessening of the charges is partly one step of resolving the matter, but the resisting arrest charges ought to be dropped, as well, said another lawyer, Larry Handfield.
“Resisting without violence, the premise is first the person was placed under arrest or stated that he was under arrest and then he resisted. In this case, he was never informed that he was under arrest so to file charges of resisting without arrest, I think that is utterly ridiculous under these circumstances,” he stated.
Handfield also expressed that he would like Armstrong freed from jail so that he can get the mental health care that is necessary.
