Dozens of Tampa Bay community members gathered at the St. Petersburg police department headquarters on Friday, protesting the racist police shooting of 17-year-old Christopher Tonsel by deputy Leighton Williams.
In recently published body camera footage, Tonsel is seen dropping his weapon in compliance with an order given by police, before officer Leighton Williams shoots him moments later as Tonsel’s weapon falls to the ground. The footage completely contradicted previous police statements that claimed the 17-year-old had aimed his gun at officer Williams.
Demonstrators demanded that officer Leighton Williams be charged with attempted murder and that Cristopher Tonsel have trumped-up charges of aggravated assault on a police officer dropped.
Media via Party for Socialism and Liberation Tampa Bay Chapter (@psltampabay), Progressive Peoples’ Action (@ppapinellas), and @_.voodoo
