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Little Rock, Arkansas police officer who fatally shot Bradley Blackshire, a Black man will not face charges in connection to the shooting. Charles Starks fired 15 shots into the car Blackshire was driving. Prosecutors say the officer’s use of lethal force was justified because he feared for his life.

Starks pulled over Blackshire on February 22 after confirming the vehicle was stolen according to police reports.

On February 22nd, Starks pulled over Blackshire for driving a car after confirming it was stolen, according to police reports. Starks got out of the patrol car and demanded him to get out of the car, he instead continued to drive and hit him. Starks proceeded to shoot the car several times.

Video of the incident, was released a month ago, shows Starks on the car’s hood firing multiple shots through its windshield as the car moved. A 20-year old woman, Desaray Clarke, was also in the car during the incident but was not injured.

Last week, prosecutors decided to clear Charles Starks, any charges connected to the incident. Pulaski County Prosecutor Larry Jegley said that Starks’ actions were justified because he was faced “with the imminent threat of deadly force in two forms: 1) the vehicle that was driving toward him and from which he had no duty to retreat, and 2) his reasonable belief that Mr Blackshire was going to shoot him.”

After a loaded .45 caliber gun was found in the car after the shooting. Starks said Blackshire appeared to be reaching for something when he moved his hand to adjust the car gear. Starks’ lawyer Robert Newcomb, said the officer was happy with the decision told KARK, “It relieves burden on him and his family.

Omavi Shakur, attorney for Blackshire’s family said they were disappointed and called Starks’ actions “criminal.”

“The family disagrees with the Prosecutor’s decision and we will be undeterred in our pursuit of justice. We ask that the community not give the authorities any excuse to further neglect their responsibility to make amends for this devastating tragedy” Shakur said.

“Retribution without justice does nothing to help us reach our ultimate goal of ensuring that no family has to experience what we are going through right now,” he added. Mayor Frank Scott, who was the first elected African American mayor in the city, expressed his concern about the police’s use of excessive force.

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