Relatives of a black teen fatally shot by a black cop in Wisconsin were reportedly arrested Thursday night while protesting a prosecutor’s decision to not charge the officer.
The mother and two sisters of 17-year-old Alvin Cole were kept by police about two hours after the city’s 7 p.m. time limitation that was forced by the city of Wauwatosa Wednesday night fully expecting protests over Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm’s decision, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
Kimberly Motley, the Cole family lawyer, told the paper that Tracy Cole, Alvin’s mom, was hospitalized after the arrest.
A local protest group, the People’s Revolution, said in a statement that Tracy was removed from her car by police, the report said.
Wauwatosa police announced in a tweet the arrest of several people for violating curfew.
Thursday was the second consecutive day of protests. The night before, demonstrations turned violent when windows of residential homes and local businesses were smashed.
The National Guard, called in by Gov. Tony Evers on Wednesday, is helping local police monitor the protests, authorities said.
Alvin was shot dead on Feb. 2 outside the Mayfair Mall by Wauwatosa police officer Joseph Mensah.
The black officer was not charged after it was ruled he “had an actual subjective belief that deadly force was necessary and that belief was objectively reasonable.”
Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm, in a 14-page letter laying out his rationale, said evidence showed Cole fled from police carrying a stolen 9mm handgun.
He cited squad car audio evidence, along with testimony from Mensah and two fellow officers, that he said showed Cole had fired a shot while fleeing and refused commands to drop the gun.