Former Pittsburgh Cop Found Not Guilty in Fatal Shooting of Unarmed Black Teen Antwon Rose
CONTROVERSIAL
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A white former Pittsburgh police officer was found not guilty late Friday in the fatal shooting of unarmed black teenager Antwon Rose II, prompting hundreds of protesters to take to the streets in the city. The jury deliberated for less than four hours before reaching their decision to clear Michael Rosfeld of homicide charges. Rosfeld pulled over a car Rose was riding in last June that had been involved in a drive-by and shot the 17-year-old three times as he ran away. The teenager’s family has called it “murder” and said there was no reason to use lethal force, while Rosfeld maintained that he fired in self-defense, believing that Rose or another passenger had a gun aimed at him. After the verdict came in Friday, district attorney Stephen Zappala Jr. said he disagrees with the jury’s verdict but respects that it was up to them to decide guilt. Protesters began gathering outside the Allegheny County Courthouse after the verdict was announced, with local news outlet KDKA reporting that hundreds of demonstrators were present. One of them reportedly read out a poem that Rose wrote before he was killed, which read, “I AM NOT WHAT YOU THINK! I am confused and afraid. I wonder what path I will take.”