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Advocacy Groups Question Cincinnati Police Shooting Of Homeless Man

Cincinnati Police

Hamilton County prosecutor Joe Deters has released video of a 2015 incident that resulted in assault charges against the man fatally shot by Cincinnati police last Sunday. Deters says he wanted to show 25-year-old Jawari Porter's violent nature  The video shows Porter punching a woman and hitting a man at the downtown casino. A judge ruled that Porter was incompetent to stand trial. Witnesses say Porter was homeless and intoxicated when he was killed, and  a homeless advocacy organization and a Black Lives Matter chapter are challenging the shooting. Surveillance video shows Porter lunging at an officer with a knife after he allegedly robbed a person at knife point on Sunday. Josh Spring with the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition says Porter's death could have been prevented.

The two groups are calling for an indictment of the officer, public access to witness and officer statements, and the release of unaltered surveillance video. Deters has called the shooting justified.

Jim has been with WCBE since 1996. Before that he worked as a reporter at another Columbus radio station, and for three newspapers in Southwest Florida.
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