Shooting of Tony Robinson

Shooting of Tony Robinson

Location of Madison, within Dane County, and Dane County within Wisconsin
Time 6:30 p.m.
Date March 6, 2015 (2015-03-06)
Location Williamson Street, Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
Participants
Deaths Tony Robinson
Charges None filed

The shooting of Tony Terrell Robinson Jr. occurred on March 6, 2015, in Madison, Wisconsin. Robinson, an unarmed 19-year-old man, was fatally shot by 45-year-old Matthew Kenny, a Wisconsin police officer, during an altercation that occurred while Kenny was responding to reports that Robinson was jumping in front of cars and had attempted to strangle someone.[1] On May 12, 2015, the shooting was determined to be justified self-defense by the Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne.[2] The death was protested by the Black Lives Matter movement; Robinson was African American.

Event

On March 6, 2015, the police received reports that 19-year-old Tony Robinson was yelling and jumping in front of cars. Robinson had reportedly been running in and out of the street while shouting at bystanders. Some of the reports were from friends of the suspect, who were concerned by his erratic behavior and called for help.[3]

Officer Matt Kenny responded to the calls at 6:30 pm. Upon arrival, Officer Kenny heard a loud yelling and banging from an upstairs apartment. As it had been reported that Robinson had previously entered another apartment and attempted to strangle a woman, Officer Kenny believed Robinson was again attacking another citizen and entered the apartment through an unlocked door to provide assistance.[4] Immediately upon reaching the top of a short flight of stairs, Robinson attacked Kenny without warning, putting a head through the drywall and pushing him down a flight of stairs. Kenny got back to his feet and Robinson aggressed again. Kenney then fired his weapon five times, mortally wounding Robinson. Kenny performed CPR on Robinson, and Robinson was taken to a hospital but later died. Robinson was unarmed. Kenny suffered a concussion and a sprained knee from the assault.[5][6] [7]

Robinson was determined post-mortem to have ingested Xanax, psilocybin mushrooms, and THC hours before the shooting. The drugs may have contributed to his erratic behavior.[8]

Background

Court documents show that Robinson was on probation after pleading guilty to armed robbery in 2014.[9] This stemmed from a home-invasion robbery in which Robinson was caught by police fleeing the scene, armed with a fake, but realistic-looking gun.[10] The Daily Mail reported that in September, a family friend had written to Robinson's defense attorney warning that he faced a choice between a middle-class life and "the 'gangsta' path", and that a felony conviction and prison sentence would push him further into the world of gangs.[11]

Aftermath

The Black Lives Matter movement has protested Robinson's death.[12][13][14] Some 1,500 protesters, mostly high school students who had staged a walk-out, filled the state capitol on March 9 to protest Robinson's death, yelling the "Hands up, don't shoot" chant through the capital building.[15] This protest and others that followed attracted members of the International Socialist Organization and various groups that used the rally to bring attention to causes such as raising the minimum wage and LGBT rights.[16]

The Wisconsin Department of Justice investigated the Robinson shooting, as required by Wisconsin law.[17] Robinson's uncle said that the family had faith that the Division of Criminal Investigation will "handle [the investigation] with integrity".[18]

On May 12, 2015, Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne called the shooting of Robinson by Officer Matt Kenny a "lawful use of deadly police force," saying that Robinson had Xanax, mushrooms and marijuana in his system and that multiple witnesses told investigators Robinson was "tweaking out" on mushrooms, jumping in front of cars and intimidating bystanders.[19]

External links

References

  1. ↑ Savidge, Nico. Police tapes: Officers told of battery involving Tony Robinson before shooting. Wisconsin State Journal. March 7, 2015. Retrieved on March 9, 2015.
  2. ↑ Berman, Mark (May 12, 2015). "Madison police officer won't be charged for shooting Tony Robinson". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Wisconsin Activists to Continue Protests After Cop Avoids Charges in Killing of Tony Robinson". Democracy Now!.
  4. ↑ Johnson, M. Alex. "Tony Robinson Shooting: No Charges for Wisconsin Police Officer". CNN. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  5. ↑ Fieldstadt, Elisha; Emmanuelle, Saliba; Chuck, Elizabeth. "Black Teen Tony Robinson Shot Dead by Cop in Madsion, Wisconsin, Was Unarmed". NBC News. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  6. ↑ Catherine Shoichet and Jethro Mullen, CNN (May 12, 2015). "Tony Robinson case: No charges for officer". CNN.
  7. ↑ Karen Rivedal - Wisconsin State Journal (March 7, 2016). "Tony Robinson supporters mark 1-year anniversary of Madison teen's fatal shooting by police". madison.com.
  8. ↑ Laughland, Oliver; Sullivan, Zoe (March 13, 2015). "Tony Terrell Robinson was shot dead by Madison police. This is how it happened". http://www.theguardian.com. The Guardian. Retrieved March 14, 2015. External link in |website= (help)
  9. ↑ Velvet Hammer. "Liberty News » "Gentle Giant" #TonyRobinson Convicted For Armed Home Invasion, On Probation When He Attacked The Cop (Incident Report) -UPDATED".
  10. ↑ "Wisconsin Shooting Victim, 19, Was Convicted Last Year For Role In Armed Home Invasion". The Smoking Gun. 2015-03-07. Retrieved 2016-07-17.
  11. ↑ "Thousands take to take streets for unarmed black teen shot dead by police - as report reveals he was an 'impulsive risk-taker'". Daily Mail. London. March 10, 2015.
  12. ↑ Spicuzza, Mary; Glauber, Bill. "Madison DA decides no charges warranted in Robinson shooting". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  13. ↑ Beleckis, Jonah (March 8, 2015). "Tony Robinson: Don't forget his name". The Daily Cardinal. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  14. ↑ "#StopKillingUs". Black Lives Matter. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  15. ↑ Schneider, Pat (March 9, 2015). "UW, high school students fill Capitol rotunda to protest Tony Robinson shooting". The Cap Times. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  16. ↑ "It's Not About Race – It's About Anarchy". 2015-03-13. Retrieved 2016-07-17.
  17. ↑ Fieldstadt, Elisha (March 8, 2015). "Tony Robinson Shooting: Protests Continue in Madison, Wisconsin". NBC News. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  18. ↑ Savidge, Nico. Family of Tony Robinson says they have faith in investigation of fatal shooting. Wisconsin State Journal. March 10, 2015. Accessed on March 11, 2015.
  19. ↑ M. Alex Johnson (May 12, 2015). "Tony Robinson Shooting: No Charges for Wisconsin Police Officer". nbcnews.com. NBC News. Retrieved May 13, 2015.
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