Texas Town Shaken by Officer Shooting 93-year-old
Published 12:23 am, Friday, May 9, 2014
HEARNE, Texas (AP) — Friends say 93-year-old Pearlie Golden still shopped at the grocery store in the small Texas town of Hearne. Now they and Hearne's mayor want the police officer who shot and killed her gone.
Texas Rangers are investigating what led to a Hearne police officer fatally shooting Golden at her home after responding to a 911 disturbance call this week. Hearne police have said in a statement that Golden "brandished a gun" when Officer Stephen Stem arrived Tuesday night.
Prosecutors say a preliminary autopsy shows Golden was struck twice in her body and grazed once.
Dozens of protesters Thursday marched to police headquarters in Hearn. Mayor Ruben Gomez greeted them and said he will recommend that the officer be fired at a city council meeting Saturday.
New Black Panther Party Protests Police Fatally Shooting 93-Year-Old Texas Woman
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Pearlie Golden — known in the neighborhood as Ms. Sully — was reportedly waving a gun around outside her house about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. Officer Stephen Stem asked Golden to put down the weapon and then shot Golden. Multiple witnesses told KBTX they heard at least five shots fired. Golden was pronounced dead at a hospital later that night.
While city council is holding a special meeting 1 p.m. Saturday to discuss the matter, Hearne Mayor Ruben Gomez said Thursday he’ll recommend Stern’s firing, the Associated Press reported.
Stem was placed on paid administrative leave, KBTX noted, adding that the Texas Rangers, Hearne police, the county district attorney are investigating. This is his second fatal shooting as a Hearne officer. Less than six months after joining the force in 2012, Stern shot and killed a man who was firing a gun from a car; a grand jury didn’t indict him and cleared him of wrongdoing.
Quannell X, head of the New Black Panther Party’s Houston chapter, said they will protest in front of Officer Stem’s house if city officials don’t fire him.
The Southern Poverty Law Center, a civil rights organization, considers the New Black Panther Party a hate group: “The New Black Panther Party is a virulently racist and anti-Semitic organization whose leaders have encouraged violence against whites, Jews and law enforcement officers.”
The Texas Department of Public Safety reportedly refused to renew Golden’s driver’s license, and her nephew on Tuesday was attempting to take her keys from her — that’s when Golden apparently became upset, grabbed her gun, and threatened her nephew, who then called 911, KBTX reported.
“Even if she did have a gun, she is in her 90s,” Lawanda Cooke told KBTX. “They could have shot in the air to scare her. Maybe she would have dropped it. I don’t see her shooting anyone.”
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| African Americans protest the police killing of a 93-year-old woman in Texas. |
HEARNE, Texas (AP) — Friends say 93-year-old Pearlie Golden still shopped at the grocery store in the small Texas town of Hearne. Now they and Hearne's mayor want the police officer who shot and killed her gone.
Texas Rangers are investigating what led to a Hearne police officer fatally shooting Golden at her home after responding to a 911 disturbance call this week. Hearne police have said in a statement that Golden "brandished a gun" when Officer Stephen Stem arrived Tuesday night.
Prosecutors say a preliminary autopsy shows Golden was struck twice in her body and grazed once.
Dozens of protesters Thursday marched to police headquarters in Hearn. Mayor Ruben Gomez greeted them and said he will recommend that the officer be fired at a city council meeting Saturday.
New Black Panther Party Protests Police Fatally Shooting 93-Year-Old Texas Woman
May. 8, 2014 10:30pm Dave Urbanski
Pearlie Golden — known in the neighborhood as Ms. Sully — was reportedly waving a gun around outside her house about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. Officer Stephen Stem asked Golden to put down the weapon and then shot Golden. Multiple witnesses told KBTX they heard at least five shots fired. Golden was pronounced dead at a hospital later that night.
While city council is holding a special meeting 1 p.m. Saturday to discuss the matter, Hearne Mayor Ruben Gomez said Thursday he’ll recommend Stern’s firing, the Associated Press reported.
Stem was placed on paid administrative leave, KBTX noted, adding that the Texas Rangers, Hearne police, the county district attorney are investigating. This is his second fatal shooting as a Hearne officer. Less than six months after joining the force in 2012, Stern shot and killed a man who was firing a gun from a car; a grand jury didn’t indict him and cleared him of wrongdoing.
Quannell X, head of the New Black Panther Party’s Houston chapter, said they will protest in front of Officer Stem’s house if city officials don’t fire him.
The Southern Poverty Law Center, a civil rights organization, considers the New Black Panther Party a hate group: “The New Black Panther Party is a virulently racist and anti-Semitic organization whose leaders have encouraged violence against whites, Jews and law enforcement officers.”
The Texas Department of Public Safety reportedly refused to renew Golden’s driver’s license, and her nephew on Tuesday was attempting to take her keys from her — that’s when Golden apparently became upset, grabbed her gun, and threatened her nephew, who then called 911, KBTX reported.
“Even if she did have a gun, she is in her 90s,” Lawanda Cooke told KBTX. “They could have shot in the air to scare her. Maybe she would have dropped it. I don’t see her shooting anyone.”
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