NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The Nashville NAACP spoke out on Tuesday following an officer-involved shooting where a Black man was killed.
The shooting happened on Buchanan Street at about 6:30 p.m. Sunday.
According to a video released by Metro Nashville Police, people called 911 after a man was waving a gun around and threatening people in between Willy B’s and Slim and Husky’s.
Body camera video shows MPD officer Dylan Ramos getting out of the car, and within 20 seconds he fired his weapon more than a dozen times.
“If you are a Black man with a weapon, you’re a dead man,” said Venita Lewis, President of the Nashville NAACP.
In the body camera video, Officer Ramos can be heard yelling at the armed Black man to drop his weapon multiple times.
However, Lewis says she feels there needed to be more of an effort by police to de-escalate the situation.
“They de-escalate with other races. But when it comes to a dark-skinned man, it automatically leads to death,” said Lewis.
Lewis says she reached out to Metro Police with hopes of building a working relationship between the two entities.
She says in addition to police units, she would like to see a mental health unit called to the scene if somebody’s mental health is in question.
Officer Ramos is on administrative leave pending the TBI investigation.
Metro Police have not released the identity of the man who was shot and killed. A spokesperson says they are still trying to notify the next of kin.
