Alton Sterling

People

Alton Sterling

Outcome

unknown

On July 5, 2016, at approximately 12:35 a.m., Alton Sterling, a 37-year-old Black man, was shot and killed by Baton Rouge Police Officers Blane Salamoni and Howie Lake II in the parking lot of the Triple S Food Mart where Sterling regularly sold CDs. The killing, captured on multiple videos including body camera footage and bystander recordings, sparked protests in Baton Rouge and across the nation. Sterling's death, occurring just one day before the killing of Philando Castile in Minnesota, intensified national outrage over police violence against Black Americans. Police responded to a 911 call at approximately 12:30 a.m. from a caller who reported that a Black man in a red shirt selling CDs had threatened him with a gun. When officers arrived, they ordered Sterling to put his hands on a car hood. The situation escalated quickly. Within seconds of the confrontation beginning, Officer Salamoni threatened to "shoot [Sterling] in the fucking head" if he moved. Officers deployed a Taser on Sterling, then tackled him to the ground. Sterling was pinned by both officers—one kneeling on his chest, the other on his thigh—while they attempted to control his arms. Someone shouted "he's got a gun," and Salamoni fired six shots, striking Sterling in the heart, lung, esophagus, and liver. Sterling died at the scene. Officers retrieved a loaded .38 caliber revolver from Sterling's front pants pocket. The store owner, Abdullah Muflahi, later confirmed that Sterling had only begun carrying a gun a few days earlier after hearing about robberies of other CD vendors. The U.S. Department of Justice opened a civil rights investigation but announced in May 2017 that it found insufficient evidence to support federal criminal charges. On March 27, 2018, Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry announced his office would not bring state charges against the officers, stating they acted in a "reasonable and justifiable manner." However, on March 30, 2018—the same day body camera footage was publicly released—Officer Salamoni was fired for violating use-of-force policies and failing to maintain command of his temper. Officer Lake was suspended for three days for losing his temper. Neither officer faced criminal charges. Sterling was known locally as "CD Man" and was well-regarded in his community. NBA player Glen Davis, who grew up in Baton Rouge, said he had known "Big Alton" for years and described him as a "great guy, big personality" whose CD sales helped support his family. Sterling was raised by his aunt Sandra Sterling after his mother died when he was 10 years old. He is survived by five children: Alton Sterling Jr., Josiah Williams, Journee Williams, Cameron Sterling, and Na'Quincy Pierson. In 2021, Sterling's family accepted a $4.5 million settlement from the City of Baton Rouge, to be paid over five years to provide for his children.