The League of Houdini Negroes. #AlexiaChristian
— Thee Sagitterrorist (@ineedja_kadeeja) May 3, 2015
25-year-old Alexia Christian was killed in a shootout on May 1 with police officers in downtown Atlanta after she reportedly opened fire on them after she had been arrested, handcuffed and placed in the back of a patrol car:
Here's one of many mugshots of Alexia Christian, the woman killed in a police-involved shooting. #wsbtv pic.twitter.com/5FddCX0G9k
— Richard Elliot (@RElliotWSB) May 1, 2015
Press conference live now. ATL Police: suspect fired 3 shots at the officer sitting in the front seat. #WSBTV pic.twitter.com/QJKCeOYYsa
— Justin WSB (@WSBTVCameraMan) May 1, 2015
Chief Turner: The weapon that she shot at officers with came out of the vehicle that was stolen. pic.twitter.com/IqdFSdHTWP
— WSB-TV (@wsbtv) May 1, 2015
APD just released photos of the two officers involved in the downtown shooting. Details in 12mins. #wsbtv pic.twitter.com/GvYPtiRVUW
— Richard Elliot (@RElliotWSB) May 1, 2015
From the AP (emphasis ours):
A woman in police custody who was killed by officers in downtown Atlanta had escaped from her handcuffs and fired gunshots at the officers from a patrol car’s backseat, police said Friday.
Police Chief George Turner said 26-year-old Alexia Christian had apparently found the .380-caliber Taurus handgun inside a stolen truck, and it wasn’t immediately clear why the officers didn’t discover the gun when they took her into custody.
Christian had been arrested seven times by the Atlanta Police Department and had escaped from handcuffs once before, Turner said during a news conference. Fulton County Jail records show Christian has also been arrested by the county sheriff’s office and police in East Point, an Atlanta suburb.
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Even with 7 prior arrests and a reported previous escape from handcuffs, some on Twitter aren’t buying the official story:
Police in Atlanta are saying #AlexiaChristian fired shots at them 1st from the back of the squad car WHILE HANDCUFFED http://t.co/vlxbVptJar
— Johnetta Elzie (@Nettaaaaaaaa) May 2, 2015
Proud of @AUCShutItDown but I'd like to see us go up for #AlexiaChristian the way we go up for #NicholasThomas
— Big Breeze (@TLOBri) May 3, 2015
Police Manual: If you shoot someone in the back of a car, please go to pg. 92 for an excuse. #AlexiaChristian
— Yummy Space Princess (@TheAquariusBIG) May 3, 2015
So many cameras Atlanta PD including over scene. Show us the video or we assume you're lying about #AlexiaChristian https://t.co/29C3gP7z5O
— Kajieme Powell’s Life Mattered (@drumbeats4peace) May 3, 2015
Police Killed #AlexiaChristian In Gunfight Inside an Atlanta Cop Car http://t.co/ncbNREAWNK She was handcuffed, and somehow got a pistol.
— Anonymous (@LatestAnonNews) May 3, 2015
The case of the Magician and the magical pistol! #AlexiaChristian https://t.co/4mWQOOSHMW
— Mariela (@marielasambula) May 3, 2015
Police Kill #AlexiaChristian, 25, In Gunfight Inside Atlanta Cop Car http://t.co/Q33rov5CQf pic.twitter.com/e4xlVGBvCg
— deray (@deray) May 3, 2015
#AlexiaChristian is Houdini. Cops say it. Not in those exact words but that's what they're saying. https://t.co/s6N0DyHGxF
— Kajieme Powell’s Life Mattered (@drumbeats4peace) May 3, 2015
https://twitter.com/XLNB/status/594886328665280513
Early reports seem to suggest that Christian wasn’t properly searched because the officers did not have time to call a female officer to the scene. From WBRC TV:
Police said the incident happened quickly and the officers simply didn’t have enough time to call in a female officer, adding that the male officers can pat down a female with the back of their hand with witnesses present.
“It was clear to us the officers did not search her prior to putting her into the back of the car,” said Atlanta Police Chief George Turner.
Authorities are investigating whether Christian had been patted down before being put in the car, Department spokesman Greg Lyon said. Department policy allows male officers to pat female suspects down by using the backs of their hands in the presence of witnesses.
So now police officers are putting themselves at risk to avoid sexual harassment/assault claims?
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Related:
Baltimore police mugshots released, ‘tell a complex tale of white supremacy’
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