One week after North Miami was thrust into the national spotlight with the shooting of an unarmed man in the middle of a city street, a group of protesters held a sit-in and asked for an indictment for the officer who pulled the trigger.
Using the hashtag #CharlesKinsey, those who wanted to join in the efforts gathered in front of the North Miami Police Department Monday. A flyer posted online called for the event to be peaceful, encouraging attendees to wear black and bring posters.
"Killer cops and wannabe killer cops should be jailed and fired," protester Cassia Lahm said. "That's why we're here."
North Miami Police went out of their way to set up a tent, sound system, coolers of ice water and a designated free speech zone, but the sit-in turned into a march into the police department's building.
Overwhelmed by the number of people who wanted to file a complaint, officers handed out paper for people to write contact information. Some protesters called that insulting.
"We've received thousands of calls, we're transcribing the calls, we're putting the calls up. We answer calls, we're getting emails, we have phone lines set up," Officer Natalie Buissereth said. "We're not turning our backs, we're listening to our community."
Kinsey, who worked as a caregiver for a nearby group home, was lying on the ground last Monday afternoon with an autistic man he worked with, 26-year-old-Arnaldo Soto, after police responded to a call that there was a suicidal man sitting in the street.
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Soto, who barely speaks according to his family, was holding a toy truck while sitting in the street. Kinsey was heard on a cell phone video attempting to tell officers that Soto did not have a weapon.
With his hands in the air, Kinsey was shot multiple times by Officer Jonathan Aledda, a four year veteran of the department who is still suspended pending the outcome of an investigation.
"They said 'put your hands up, lay down on the floor.' He did everything right but he still got shot," protester Emma Nuella said. "Yes we do want a conviction. We want to hold him accountable for his action."
After the shooting, the agency drew even more fire after the head of the Miami-Dade County Police Benevolent Association, John Rivera, told reporters at a press conference that the officer was shooting at Soto and missed.
