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Derrick Kittling, a 45-year-old man, was killed in a shooting that took place on 7th Street in Alexandria on November 6, 2022 at around 1 pm.
The incident involved an officer who fired the shot, and was the result of an altercation between Derrick Kittling and the Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office deputy after a traffic stop.
The victim is also identified as the brother of Lt. Colonel Kenny van Buren of the Louisiana State Police. State Police have been asked to intervene and investigate the case. Video footage of the incident was released by the LSP on November 20, 2022.
Trigger Warning: The following video may contain disturbing content. Viewers’ discretion is advised.
Derrick Kittling killed after a deputy fired a shot
According to the Institute for Justice, one can’t be pulled over by cops unless they have violated a law or traffic rules.
Derrick Kittling was pulled over by the Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office deputy for a traffic stop. While the video shows Kittling complying with the officer's commands. However, the officer continues to give him no reason for stopping him. As Kittling confronts him, the holds the former's hands and pulled out his own taser, leading to a physical altercation between the two.
According to a statement given by state police spokesman Casey Wallace, they struggled over the deputy’s taser. Later, Derrick got hold of it, which possibly prompted the deputy to fire a shot.
Sgt. Daniel "Scott" Moreau, a spokesperson for the State Police, stated that the agency will "conduct a thorough and impartial investigation" into the incident. Moreau also added that LTC Van Buren will not be a part of any aspect of the investigation into the shooting.
After the video footage was released on November 20, 2022, Rapides Parish Sheriff Mark Wood published a statement saying,
“My responsibility as Sheriff is to be transparent and accountable to the citizens of Rapides Parish as well as our deputies.”
He added that he supports releasing such videos as they give the public a "transparent and unbiased" account of what happened. Wood also said that the videos give context to what happened at the time of the shooting.
A peaceful protest was held to support the family
On November 7, 2022, Norris Guillot Jr., a national civil rights activist, organized a protest to support the family of Derrick Kittling. According to Guillot, people are more concerned with finding out whether Kittling’s constitutional and civil rights were violated.
According to Rev. Herbert Green, Kittling’s uncle, law enforcement agencies across the country need sensitivity and racial sensitivity training. Green added that the training is necessary, especially when it comes to minority communities.
The case is currently under investigation. According to the officials, it is important to gather the minute details of the case. One of the major concerns that officials have is whether Derrick Kittling got tased or the officer.
