Here we go again, black community. Another unarmed, black man has been shot and killed by police. This time the shooting happened in Memphis, Tenn.

The police officer pulled over a car for a routine traffic stop (sound familiar?), it had a broken headlight. The officer issued a ticket for the headlight, but wanted to verify any warrants against 19 year old Darrius Stewart who was sitting in the back seat.

The police say Stewart kicked the door opened and tried to attack the officer as he approached trying to put handcuffs on him and a scuffle broke out.

The scene ended with the officer pulling out his weapon and shooting Stewart. He later died at the hospital.

All of this leaves many asking, there was no other resolution to this incident than shooting to kill?

From TheGrio:

“Anytime an officer discharges their weapon in the line of duty the outcome can be devastating on the community and the officer involved,” said MPD Director Toney Armstrong.

“We are going to be transparent and get to the bottom of what happened and why it happened,” Armstrong said.

Stewart’s family and friends are asking for answers and asking why such force would have been considered justified.

“He’s nothing but 19 and weigh 120,” said childhood friend Derrick Patterson. “Anything, why couldn’t they pepper spray him, why’d they have to just shoot him?”

“It could have went either way,” said Mike Williams from the Memphis Police Association. “Would it have been better if we had a police officer laying out there dead right now? No, it would not have been. It is not okay that we have a young man who is dead. I’m not going to sit here and let you beat me in the face with handcuffs. That’s not going to happen, because you can kill me. I’m not going to let you pull a knife on me.”

Source: TheGrio