Charges reduced against Donald Armstrong, Miami man shot by police
MIAMI - Charges have been reduced against a Miami man who was shot by police last month.
During a court hearing on Tuesday, charges of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest without violence against Donald Armstrong were reduced to a single count of misdemeanor resisting arrest.
Armstrong was shot on March 7th near the entrance of a home on Northwest 57th Street and 7th Court holding what police said was a sharp object. Police were called to the home by Armstrong's mother for a mental health crisis.
Cellphone video captured his confrontation with police and the subsequent shooting.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing Armstrong, said the video shows him holding a screwdriver. He was then shocked by Tasers twice. As he fell to the ground, Crump said police shot him. Once he hit the ground, he was shot some more, said Crump.
In all nine shots were fired and Armstrong was hit six times.
"It goes without saying what happened on that video is unconscionable," said Crump
Crump said Armstrong did not deserve to be shot "like a dog."
Fellow attorney Larry Handfield said the reduction in charges was a partial step in the right direction but the resisting arrest charge should also be dismissed.
"Resisting without violence, the premise is first the person was placed under arrest or stated that he was under arrest and then he resisted. In this case, he was never informed that he was under arrest so to file charges of resisting without arrest, I think that is utterly ridiculous under these circumstances," he said.
He said he would like to see Armstrong released from custody so he can get the mental health care that he needs.