Tony Robinson killing: No charges for white cop who shot unarmed teenager

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ANI London
Last Updated : May 13 2015 | 9:57 AM IST

Dane County District Attorney has ruled that the white police officer, who shot and killed an unarmed teenager in Wisconsin, will face no charges.

Attorney Ishmael Ozanne declared that police officer Matt Kenny had been attacked and feared for his life. He observed that the tragic and unfortunate death of 19-year-old Tony Robinson Jr was the result of "a lawful use of deadly police force, the BBC reported."

Ozanne added that his decision will not bring him back, nor will it end the racial disparities that infect the justice system. He also said that his decision was not based on emotion but on facts and was guided by the rule of law.

Robinson, who was mixed race and unarmed, was shot in a Madison apartment on March 6.

Officer Kenny was responding to an emergency call about a man who was obstructing traffic and had been involved in an assault, when he confronted the teen.

Autopsy reports showed that Robinson had consumed various illicit drugs on the night of the shooting.

During the hearing, Kenny said that he had drawn his firearm before entering the building Robinson was in and claimed that he was attacked by the teenager at the top of the stairs. He added that he feared he would be knocked down the stairs and Robinson would take his gun. He fires seven shots at the teen.

Robinson's death sparked street protests in the state capitol building as his relatives and demonstrators insisted that he was a victim of police brutality. Protesters gathered in Madison held banners saying, "Black lives matter" after the attorney announced his decision on Tuesday.

The incident is the latest in a series of racial attacks reported in the United States recently.

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First Published: May 13 2015 | 9:46 AM IST

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