Nathan Blanford Video: Raw Video Of Louisville Cop Shooting And Killing Black Man Attacking Him With A Flag Pole Gains Controversy [Videos]
On YouTube, several versions of a video showing Nathan Blanford — a Kentucky cop and a 10-year veteran on the force — shooting and killing a black man who tried to attack Blanford with a flag pole are gaining views. A six-minute long version of the video, published to YouTube on June 14, displays the fullest version of events as they unfolded.
With a date of June 14, the surveillance video shows the unnamed black man walking down the street when the Louisville Metro Police officer pulls up to the curb and gets out. Without audio, the audience is only left to surmise what’s happening via the visuals of the video. It appears that Blanford is commanding the man to stop, yet the African immigrant can be seen having words with the cop and then waving him off, continuing to walk away.
That’s when the man reappears in the video frame wildly waving a flag on a flag pole and swatting Blanford, with the pole appearing to break at one point. Officer Nathan pulls his weapon, backs away and discharges the weapon. Eventually, the black man stumbles to the ground and doesn’t get up. Another woman can be seen filming the scene with her smartphone.
Police Chief Steve Conrad said the video was released on Sunday in order to show the public why Blanford shot and killed the man who attacked him with flag pole, reports the New York Daily News. Releasing the controversial video was a move that Conrad hoped would quell public questions over the event. Blanford is on administrative leave, and the dead man wasn’t named by Conrad. The chief of police did call the shooting and killing of the African immigrant justified, because of the way the man was threatening the officer by swinging a flag and flag pole at the cop.
Opponents are questioning why Blanford didn’t use less deadly force — such as pepper spray or a taser gun — prior to reaching for his weapon to kill the man. Although the police chief wouldn’t initially release the name of the dead man, the shooting victim has been identified by USA TODAY as Deng Manyoun. Deng was criticized for wielding a “dangerous instrument” outside the Smoker’s Smoke Shop after staggering around the street.
The surveillance camera video footage showing Blanford’s actions against Manyoun on South Fourth Street on that fatal afternoon have caused a variety of mixed reactions in the community. As reported by the Inquisitr, other recent viral videos involving police include the gunfire and explosives used against police at their headquarters in Dallas.
[Image via YouTube]
