Gulf News

30 bullets used to kill unarmed father

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Police gunned down an African American father of three using two dozen bullets in the parking lot of a Walmart supermarke­t in California, authoritie­s and his lawyer said on Tuesday.

Diante Yarber, 26, was unarmed and parking his car in Barstow, about two hours east of Los Angeles, at the time of the incident on April 4, according to his lawyer Lee Merritt. Among the car’s four passengers was 26-yearold Mariana Tafoya, who is recovering in hospital from bullet wounds, Merritt said.

He said police officers shot a total of 30 bullets, two dozen of which hit Yarber.

The lawyer plans to file a complaint this week for “excessive policing” on behalf of Yarber’s family.

Police indicated officers had responded to reports of a “suspicious vehicle.”

“The suspect/driver began accelerati­ng his vehicle in reverse, striking a police vehicle. The vehicle then accelerate­d forward toward the officers, and then accelerate­d in reverse toward officers and striking another patrol vehicle,” police said.

“Afterward, an officerinv­olved shooting ensued.”

Merritt, the lawyer, said three police cars had responded to the incident.

Two other passengers in Yarber’s car were arrested on site and later released.

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