Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has been bracing itself for an announcement from the Department of Justice on the results of their investigation into the shooting death of Alton Sterling.
In an announcement on Tuesday afternoon, the DOJ said that it will not level federal charges against the officers involved in the shooting.
#BREAKING: In Alton Sterling shooting, Baton Rouge police officers won't face federal charges https://t.co/u4sGYkgLwC
— NOLA.com (@NOLAnews) May 2, 2017
Sterling, an African American, was shot and killed in a struggle with police officers who were called to the scene. In the aftermath of his death, a separate shooter came into Baton Rouge and shot and killed three police officers.
Baton Rouge law enforcement had been preparing for this decision. Barricades and increased security have been spotted at key areas in the city. Here’s more info via The Hayride:
The Justice Department has decided not to bring charges against the officers involved in the death of Alton Sterling, whose videotaped shooting by police in Baton Rouge last summer prompted unrest across the city, and is planning to reveal in the next 24 hours that it has closed the probe, according to four people familiar with the matter.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the Sterling family had yet to be informed by the Justice Department of the decision, and it is unclear how and when the department will announce its findings.
There has been speculation that a lot of out of town protesters were heading into the city to protest the decision, which comes on the same day as a guilty plea in the death of Walter Scott, who was shot in the back by an officer as he fled a traffic stop on foot.
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