Protesters block Washington state bridge over police shooting of man throwing rocks

Protesters block Washington state bridge over police shooting of man throwing rocks

Antonio Zambrano-Montes was gunned down by police earlier this month after throwing rocks at them, but he was not armed with a knife or a gun, and the shooting caused nationwide outrage.

Protesters rallied on a Washington state bridge today in protest of a police shooting that left a man dead, shutting down traffic on the bridge spanning the Columbia River.

More than 50 people gathered on the bridge Saturday evening for the March, stopping traffic as they marched from Pasco to Kennewick, with many of the motorists honking or yelling in support, according to an Associated Press report.

The protesters then turned around and started marching back toward Pasco, blocking northbound traffic as they shouted “We will not be silenced” and “We are all Antonio.” They were referring to Antonio Zambrano-Montes, who was gunned down by police in an incident that was caught on camera and sparked nationwide outrage.

Zambrano-Montes was allegedly throwing rocks at the police officers and did not respond to a taser strike, prompting police officers to pull out their guns and shoot him to death. A video of the incident shows him running away from officers before turning to face them and raising his hand. He is then immediately shot to death.

No arrests were reported during the march, and police largely stayed away from protesters, according to the report.

The shooting, which happened Feb. 10, has prompted many to call for a federal investigation, as police revealed Zambrano-Montes did not have either a gun or a knife.

It was the fourth killing by Pasco police officers in less than a year’s time, which is a lot for a city of just 68,000. More than half of the residents are Hispanic, but few of them hold positions of power either in the government or in the police force.

The Mexican government even weighed in, asking for Zambrano-Montes’ body to be returned to his hometown in Mexico, and Mexico’s consul in Seattle made a special trip to the city to meet with family members and community leaders.

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