A leading group of African-American law enforcement officials wants to know whether it was necessary for police to kill a disturbed woman who led them on a car chase after trying to crash through a White House gate.
"We're looking for some answers, simply . . . Why was it necessary to shoot?" Ronald Hampton, the Washington representative of Blacks in Law Enforcement, told "The Steve Malzberg Show" on Newsmax TV.
"The Capitol Hill Police along with the uniform division of the Secret Service, what are their policies when it comes to shooting at moving vehicles?" he asked Tuesday.
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"Most municipal police departments don't shoot at moving vehicles," Hampton said. "They also train their people not to stand in front of cars, because when the person is trying to get away and they're in a car, you don't stand in front of the car because you're putting yourself in danger when you do that. So, there are a lot of questions that should be asked, and answers should be forthcoming after they get to or complete their investigation."
Miriam Carey, an African-American woman from Connecticut, was shot and killed last Thursday.
Hampton said that even if Carey had turned out to be a terrorist carrying explosives, certain procedures should have been followed to ensure the safety of the public.
"Say the car was loaded with explosives and you're shooting at the car. The car might have a tendency, then, to explode if that was the case. So, that's why you follow procedure," he said.
"But, first of all, before you know whether or not they violated procedure, you have to understand or know what the procedures are as it relates to shooting at moving vehicles, jumping in front of moving cars, and all of those kinds of things.
"As a retired former metropolitan police officer, we had policies that said that you couldn't do those kinds of things."
Hampton said an investigation into the incident should yield answers in the next two weeks.
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