HOMESTEAD, FLA. (WSVN) - Homestead residents protested at Homestead City Hall, Friday, over a police officer who has shot six people on the job, killing three, according to police.
The Homestead Police Department defended Officer Anthony Green, saying his actions were justified in every case. But the protesters at Homestead City Hall, Friday, said justifying police shootings sets the wrong precedent.
They filled the City Hall and called on the city to fire Green.
“We have all the victims of Anthony Green here in this facility,” one protester told city officials.
“If you allow one officer to kill, you allow another officer to kill,” another protester said.
The latest victim, 35-year-old Edward Foster, was armed when he was shot by Green while walking to a Meat Market, according to police. Police said Foster threatened police before Green fired.
“That day, Officer Green didn’t wake up and decide to do this,” Detective Fernando Morales said. “Officer Green didn’t put a firearm in Mr. Foster’s hands.”
The state attorney has cleared Green in five of the six shootings, while the most recent is still under review.
“How can you fear for your life seven times when you’ve shot seven people?” one protester asked.
Morales said that Green is excellent at his job.
“Officer Green is an extremely proactive police officer. The city is in his heart,” Morales said.
In 2007, Green shot and killed a convicted murderer who, police said, was stabbing a mother and son. The victim said Green saved her life.
“He had stabbed me in the back of my head,” she said. “First officer that got there told him freeze put the knife down. He refused.”
Morales said that police officers face tough situations that they must act on in a matter of seconds.
“Sometimes we get put into these situations like Officer Green where we have to make these split second decisions,” Morales said. “We have years of Monday morning quarterbacking, but we only have that one second to make the decision.”
But protesters questioned those decisions, Friday.
“There are a lot of good cops,” one protester told city officials. “But when you have one bad cop, it makes the other ones look so bad.”
All of the shootings involving Green have been investigated by the Miami-Dade Police Department, and only the most recent remains under review with the state attorney.
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