Northwest

Group Blocks Traffic to Protest Over North Miami Police Shooting of Unarmed Therapist

Protesters brought traffic to a standstill Monday as they rallied against the North Miami Police Department following last month's shooting of an unarmed man. 

The group is demanding justice for Charles Kinsey, the therapist who was shot by Officer Jonathan Aledda while assisting his autistic patient, Arnaldo Rios.

Demonstrators chanted as they stood in the middle of the intersection of Northwest 125th Street and West Dixie Highway.

The group included members from Black Lives Matter, Dream Defenders, Miami Workers Center and FAMN.

They are calling for the firing and arrest of Officer Aledda.

New Florida Majority started a petition Monday asking the State Attorney's Office to bring criminal charges against Officer Aledda.

He remains on paid administrative leave while the shooting is investigated.

Police said officers responded to the scene on July 18th after they received a 911 call of an armed man threatening suicide. In the 911 call, the unidentified woman said the man appeared mentally disturbed and that another man was trying to talk him out of killing himself. As officers approached Kinsey and Rios, Aledda shot Kinsey in the leg.

The police union says the officer was trying to shoot Rios because he thought he was about to shoot Kinsey. But Rios was only holding a toy truck.

Kinsey has filed a federal lawsuit claiming Aledda violated his constitutional rights when he shot him.

Contact Us