Video shows Arizona police shooting man with hands over his head

02-01-2014 • World Socialist Website

Last week a local news station in Eloy, Arizona ran footage of police shooting an unarmed man, Manuel Orosco Longoria, in the back while he had his hands in the air, contradicting police claims that he was attempting to draw a weapon. The video was released two weeks after the shooting. On January 14th Pinal County sheriff deputies and Eloy police officers pursued 40-year-old Manuel Orosco Longoria after he failed to pull over at a traffic stop. A 45-minute chase ensued, eventually ending with Longoria stepping out of the car. Police proceeded to shoot him to death as he had his hands up. Following the incident, Pinal County sheriff Paul Babeu claimed that Longoria attempted to brandish a weapon after stepping out of the car. “A deputy felt the suspect was reaching for the gun he reportedly had,” he commented, “so he then fired two rounds from his department-issued patrol rifle.” Subsequent revelations have shown that there was no weapon on Longoria.