Routine traffic stops are racist. Last month, Tennessee State Sen. London Lamar said she feels "like a slave sometimes" in the state Capitol building, and declared it a form of slavery that Republicans hold a supermajority. Sen. Charlane Oliver called for riots. What had them so upset? The Tennessee General Assembly passed a bill that would prohibit local governments from banning routine traffic stops. The "Jim Crow" bill was introduced by State Sen. Brent Taylor and voted on by "all his Confederates." The bill was in response to the Memphis City Council ordering police to no longer pull over motorists for routine traffic violations, like having an expired registration or when a brake light was out.
CNN on Tuesday reported on a traffic stop over a seatbelt that ended up with a black man shot and killed by police.
How did a traffic stop for not wearing a seatbelt end with 96 gunshots, an injured officer, and a dead 26-year-old? Some say it was because Dexter Reed fired at officers first, as the initial investigation shows. Some believe the stop never should've happened in the first place. pic.twitter.com/1Yg7fhVjZB
— Omar Jimenez (@OmarJimenez) April 9, 2024
Community Notes was quick to clear that one up:
Readers added context they thought people might want to know
It was because Dexter Reed fired first, shooting a police officer in the arm.
So the cops stopped Dexter Reed for not wearing a seatbelt, and he shot at them.
What the fuck is this shit?
— EducatëdHillbilly™ (@RobProvince) April 10, 2024
I imagine that if you’re pulled over, you increase your chances of survival immeasurably by not pulling out a gun and shooting at officers eleven times.
— Amygator 🐊 *not an actual alligator (@AmyA1A) April 10, 2024
Why was he shooting at a cop who pulled him over for simply not wearing his seatbelt? What about this are you not telling us?
— Zanshi 惨死 (D - Jar Kitteh) (@zanshi1) April 10, 2024
Don't shoot at police.
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) April 10, 2024
End of story.
The Washington Post headline? "Police fire 96 shots in 41 seconds, killing Black man during traffic stop."
Media narrative: Reality: pic.twitter.com/1DhDank3qR
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) April 10, 2024
Maybe this is my privilege talking, but I was always taught that you have a higher likelihood of surviving a traffic stop if you don't pull out your gun and start shooting at the police officers. Is this some kind of rarified knowledge?
— Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) April 10, 2024
It's literally because he fired first. He doesn't fire, no one else fires.
— Frank (@richardrahl1086) April 10, 2024
This. Is. Not. Complicated.
Yep, show his kindergarten photo
— J Hans (@blackhawkce457) April 10, 2024
Ahh they went with the graduation photo on this one
— Tony_time33 (@twitt_time_tony) April 10, 2024
Media:
— Scott Lee (@OnClose) April 10, 2024
Police fire 96 shots in 41 seconds, killing Black man during traffic stop pic.twitter.com/XfIjigoLFM
Not to mention the fact that he had prior gun charges
— D E (@dmce01) April 10, 2024
Why would they do that?
— Kyle McClay (@xmcclay) April 10, 2024
Not Only One Media pic.twitter.com/Sgyr26iyOP
— InsaneGraphic (@InsaneGraphic) April 10, 2024
When someone starts shooting at you, you shoot back as many times as it takes to put down the threat. That's the lede of this story? The cops shot 96 times?
96? They should’ve fired at least 100
— Riley (@cyber_riley) April 10, 2024
How many times is a citizen allowed to fire a gun at police officers before officers are within their rights to return fire?
— Lou Perez (@TheLouPerez) April 10, 2024
How did a traffic stop for not wearing a seatbelt end with a scumbag shooting at police 11 times?
— @stevenvoiceover (@stevenvoiceover) April 10, 2024
Fixed it for you.
I think shooting at cops who do a random stop is excessive.
— Brandons Diaper (@BrandonsDiaper) April 10, 2024
Total racism. I got pulled over yesterday morning for an expired plate. I unloaded my gun at the cops and they let me off with a warning because I’m white.
— AZ_Morlock (@az_morlock) April 10, 2024
This shit right here is exactly why the American people hate you.
— TWEETO BANDITO (@DjptrsnMana) April 10, 2024
They'll try to add this guy to the pantheon of Black Lives Matter victims, but we don't think it's going to stick in this particular situation. He's not going to get the martyr treatment, aside from the media.
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