The unarmed Wisconsin 19-year-old who was shot and killed by a veteran white Madison cop pleaded guilty to an armed robbery last year, court records show.

Tony Robinson, who was shot on Friday night after an altercation in which Officer Matt Kenny, 45, was knocked down by a blow to the head, recently began serving a three-year probation for the conviction.

The teenager was arrested last April after an armed home invasion in Madison, when police were called at 6am after a neighbor 'spotted several men, one of them with an armed long gun, entering an apartment building', according to police records.

Family members and neighbors have described Robinson as a 'beautiful kid' and that he 'wouldn't hurt a fly'.

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Madison, Wisconsin, cop Matt Kenny shot and killed 19-year-old Tony Robinson on Friday after an altercation

Robinson was arrested last April after an armed home invasion in Madison, when police were called at 6am after a neighbor 'spotted several men, one of them with an armed long gun, entering an apartment building', according to police records

Police reached the apartment 'just as the robbery was ending', and found the five 18-year-old suspects fleeing with 'electronics and other property', a shotgun and a facsimile handgun, according to the Smoking Gun.

It is unclear at to whether or not Robinson was in possession of one of the guns at the time.

Robinson pleaded guilty to armed robbery in October and was sentenced to six months in jail but a judge stayed the execution of the custodial term. He began serving a three-year probation period in December.

'My son has never been a violent person. And to die in such a violent, violent way, it baffles me,' said Andrea Irwin, who told WKOW-TV on Friday night she is Robinson's mother.

Shot dead: Tony Robinson (pictured with his mother, Andrea Irwin), who was a graduate of Sun Prairie High School, was shot dead by a police officer at a Madison, Wisconsin, home at around 6.30pm local time Friday. Police have revealed that Robinson was unarmed when he was shot

Grieving mother: Speaking to 27 News, Tony's tearful mother, Andrea Irwin (pictured), claimed her teenage son has 'never been a violent person'. 'To die in such a violent, violent way, it baffles me,' she told the news station

He was also the defendant in a paternity action filed last year, in regard to a then-one-year-old boy.

A 24-year-old Madison woman filed the action, and a judge ruled that 'parties will have joint legal custody; no placement order and no child support order entered as neither party appeared to provide info'.

Robinson's Twitter account included posts about drugs and an ankle monitor he wore when he was released on bond after the armed robbery arrest, according the the Smoking Gun.

In a Facebook post from December regarding a video showing a police officer applying a chokehold to ma man, Robinson wrote, 'The only things cops are getting trained for is to shoot first and ask questions later'.

Chief Mike Koval said it wasn't clear whether Robinson, who died at a hospital, was alone in the apartment where Friday's shooting happened, which neighbors said was where Robinson lived.

'He was unarmed. That's going to make this all the more complicated for the investigators, for the public to accept,' Koval said.

Mayor Paul Soglin called the shooting 'a tragedy beyond description' in a statement.

Killed: A struggle had ensued in the seconds before the shooting, it is reported. The officer then performed CPR on Robinson and the teen (pictured) was rushed to hospital. However, he later succumbed to his injuries

No weapon: Madison Police Chief Mike Koval announced on Saturday that Robinson was unarmed when Officer Matt Kenny shot him dead

Scene: Madison Police investigate the apartment where the shooting occurred in Madison, Wisconsin, late on Friday

He continued: 'On this, the anniversary of the first March on Selma, let us remember the words of Dr. King 50 years ago: "The road ahead is not altogether a smooth one. There are no broad highways that lead us easily and inevitably to quick solutions. But we must keep going."'

'I hope as the pain eases that something constructive will come of this,' he told the Wisconsin State Journal.

Koval said police were called about 6.30pm on Friday because Robinson was jumping into traffic. A second call to police said the man was 'responsible for a battery,' Koval said.

Kenny went to an apartment and forced his way inside after hearing a disturbance. Koval said the officer was assaulted by Robinson, and then fired at him.

A struggle had ensued in the seconds before the shooting, it is reported. The officer then performed CPR on Robinson and the teen was rushed to hospital. However, he later succumbed to his injuries.

The killing, which sparked a mass protest outside the home, came only two days after a Justice Department report revealed that seven racist emails had been sent by officials in Ferguson.

It also came just hours before President Barack Obama will lead this weekend's 50th anniversary of 'Bloody Sunday', when police beat protesters marching from Selma, Alabama, to Montgomery.

MADISON MAYOR SAYS SHOOTING IS A 'TRAGEDY BEYOND DESCRIPTION' Read Mayor Paul Soglin's Saturday statement regarding Friday's shooting below: 'Last night, at the scene of the shooting, I said this is a tragedy beyond description. Today, we begin what will be a difficult period for our City. Madisonians honor and respect the young life of Anthony Robinson. I say this without knowledge of the indispensable facts of what happened Friday night but out of respect for the dignity of every person. 'His mother and father, siblings, relatives and friends lost a loved one. His parents are living their worst nightmare. Our hearts, our thoughts go out to the family and friends who are grieving. 'Our community has many questions, questions that I share. There will be answers. There is a new State law that mandates an independent investigation into officer involved shootings. Investigators from the Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation were on the scene immediately last night. 'We must give them time to do their job.I met members of the family and members of the community who were at the scene last night and heard their concerns. I talked to Chief Koval and discussed those concerns, while offering support for our police officers and the difficult public service they perform every day. 'The Madison Police Department has a well-earned reputation as one of the finest departments in the Country.We all deserve to know the facts in this case. Tony Robinson's family deserves that, our community deserves that, and the Madison Police deserve that. 'When the answers come, we will be open and transparent in communicating them.Our police officers serve us with respect, valor, and dignity. A few hours earlier, they were faced with hostile gunfire and managed to end that confrontation safely. 'On this, the anniversary of the first March on Selma, let us remember the words of Dr. King 50 years ago: "The road ahead is not altogether a smooth one. There are no broad highways that lead us easily and inevitably to quick solutions. But we must keep going." 'The City of Madison, our police officers, our community, and I must and will keep moving forward with compassion, with understanding, with a commitment to facing the facts, finding the truth, and making necessary changes to ensure this great City is always more equitable and just.' Source: City of Madison Advertisement

Protest: The killing, which sparked a mass protest outside the home (pictured), comes only two days after a Justice Department report revealed that seven racist emails had been sent by officials in Ferguson, Missouri

Angry: Videos have appeared online showing around 100 protesters at the scene of the shooting, chanting slogans like, 'Who can you trust? Not the police'. Above, Tony's grandmother, Sharon Irwin, at the protests

Demonstrating: Many of the demonstrators moved the protest to inside the Madison City County building Friday night, according to footage posted on Twitter. It was not immediately clear if there were any arrests

Koval said Kenny, a more than 12-year veteran of the Madison department, also shot and killed a suspect in 2007, but was cleared of wrongdoing because it was a "suicide by cop-type" situation. In that shooting, Kenny responded to a 911 call of a man with a gun and shot the man twice after police said he pointed the gun at officers. It turned out to be a pellet gun.

A picture of Kenny on the Madison department's website shows him with a police horse he trains, alongside a short first-person bio in which he says he served nine years in the U.S. Coast Guard before joining the department.

Kenny has been placed on administrative leave pending results of an investigation by the state's Division of Criminal Investigation.

Several dozen protesters gathered outside the Dane County Public Safety Building on Saturday before starting to walk toward the scene of the shooting, holding signs that read, 'Black Lives Matter' — a slogan adopted by activists and protesters around the nation after recent officer-involved deaths of unarmed black men. Protesters also shouted the slogan Friday night after the shooting.

Friends: Tony is pictured in a Facebook photo alongside a friend. He was described as being a 'happy person' by former classmates

Relatives: During Friday night's protests, Tony's grandmother, Sharon Irwin (right), and aunt, Lorien Carter (left), told the gathered demonstrators that relatives had not been allowed to see the teenager after his death

Criticizing the authorities: 'We were told he was evidence,' Ms Carter told the crowd shortly before midnight, according to The Daily Cardinal. She added: 'He wasn't referred to as 'his son' or 'your son,' just 'evidence'

Police face protesters: Cheered on by young and old protesters, Ms Irwin said: 'He [Tony] wouldn't hurt a fly. He was unarmed.' She asked: 'Why would you shoot him five times? What happened to your taser gun?'

Koval said he understood the anger and distrust taking hold in the community following Robinson's shooting, and said that 'for those who do want to take to the street and protest,' his department would be there to 'defend, facilitate, foster those first amendment rights of assembly and freedom of speech.'

He added that he would ask protesters to follow what he said was the lead of Robinson's family and 'do so with a sense of responsibility and restraint.'

Kenny is on administrative leave pending the results of the investigation by the state's Division of Criminal Investigation and the Dane County District Attorney's decision on whether to press charges, Koval said.

A 2014 Wisconsin law requires police departments to have outside agencies probe officer-involved deaths. State Attorney General Brad Schimel said the department will not share details of the investigation until it is finished.

Understandable context: In a press briefing, Chief Koval said: 'It's understandable that the reaction at the scene and of some of our citizens is extremely volatile, emotional and upsetting. And we understand that'

'[But] we would urge, obviously, that everyone exercise restraint, calm and allow the Division of Criminal Investigation(DCI) to conduct their affairs,' he added. Above, protesters write on windows Friday night

High turnout: Protesters on the steps of Madison City County building (Ieft) and outside Tony's home (right)

'We are resolved that the result of that investigation will be one in which the public can have confidence,' he added.

Madison, about 80 miles west of Milwaukee, is the state capital and home to the University of Wisconsin's flagship campus. About 7 per cent of the city's 243,000 residents are black.

Koval said Saturday afternoon that he couldn't say how many shots were fired because it is part of the investigation.

Neighbor Grant Zimmerman said Robinson would run between his apartment and his roommate's mother's house across the street: 'He runs back and forth across the street all the time, even in the middle of traffic.'

Olga Ennis, a neighbor and family friend, said Robinson was well-liked. Robinson graduated in 2014 from Sun Prairie High School, Superintendent Tim Culver said in a statement.

Madison Mayor Paul Soglin said an out-of-area investigation would be launched into the death of Tony, who was apparently planning on attending Madison College. Above, some demonstrators held up accusatory banners

Scene: Late Friday, Madison Police Chief Mike Koval told broadcaster WKOW an officer had responded to a disturbance at an apartment the teenager had gone into. Above, police at the scene

Emergency response: Chief Koval added that Tony had appeared to be unarmed. 'The initial finding at the scene did not reflect a gun or anything of that nature that would have been used by the subject,' he said

'He was a beautiful kid,' Ennis said. 'He wouldn't hurt a fly.'

She said many in the community don't trust police officers. 'We're afraid of the cops,' she said. 'Who do you call for help now?'

Sharon Irwin, who told the newspaper Friday night she was Robinson's grandmother, urged protesters to be peaceful. 'I think you need to rise up but I don't want violence,' she said.

Over the past 20 hours, videos have appeared online showing around 100 protesters at the scene of the shooting, chanting slogans like, 'Who can you trust? Not the police,' in front of a row of officers.

Many of the demonstrators moved the protest to inside the Madison City County building Friday night, according to footage on Twitter. It was not immediately clear if there were any arrests.

Rally: Kyrisha Isom, left, weeps with Derrick McCann during a rally protesting the shooting death of Robinson

Standing together: People look on during a rally protesting the shooting death of Robinson. Protests broke out on Friday and continued through Saturday

During Friday night's protests, Tony's grandmother, Sharon Irwin, and aunt, Lorien Carter, told the gathered demonstrators that relatives had not been allowed to see the teenager after his death.

'We were told he was evidence,' Ms Carter told the crowd shortly before midnight, according to The Daily Cardinal. 'He wasn't referred to as 'his son' or 'your son,' just 'evidence.'

Cheered on by young and old protesters, Ms Irwin added: 'He [Tony] wouldn't hurt a fly. He was unarmed. Why would you shoot him five times? What happened to your taser gun?'

In a press briefing, Chief Koval said: 'In light of so much things that have happened not just across the country, but in our own community, it's understandable that the reaction at the scene and of some of our citizens is extremely volatile, emotional and upsetting. And we understand that.

'[But] we would urge, obviously, that everyone exercise restraint, calm and allow the Division of Criminal Investigation(DCI) to conduct their affairs.'

In the spotlight: The shooting comes at a time of increased scrutiny of police violence against minorities across the US. Above, Barack Obama has labeled the police system in Ferguson, Missouri, 'racially biased'

Violent: Obama spoke in commemoration of 'Bloody Sunday' (pictured) on Saturday. The violent images broadcast on TV of the famous march helped lead to the historic passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965

According to The Wisconsin State Journal, friends of Tony were left shocked by his death. 'I still can't even fully wrap my head around this,'17-year-old Jack Spaulding told the Journal.

Madison Mayor Paul Soglin said an out-of-area investigation would be launched into the death of Tony, who was apparently planning on attending Madison College, Badger Herald reported.

The investigation is required under a newly passed state law, Mayor Soglin told the Journal, adding: 'It's a tragedy beyond description. I expect there will be a lot of anger and frustrations.'

In recent days, protests have been held in Los Angeles and Washington state over police killings of unarmed men from minority groups. They followed nationwide protests over the deaths of 18-year-old Brown, from Ferguson, and 43-year-old Eric Garner, from Staten Island, at the hands of police.

Earlier Friday, Obama said the investigation into police in Ferguson had exposed a 'broken and racially biased system'. 'It turns out they weren't just making it up. This was happening,'he said.

He told a room of both young and old attendees that Ferguson must now decide how to move forward, adding that America's top goal should be to prevent similar circumstances elsewhere.

Obama's comments at South Carolina's Benedict College came the day before he led the 50th anniversary of 'Bloody Sunday', on which people protested against lack of voting rights.