Mother of Phoenix Man Shot by Police: Case Not About Race

BY TERRY TANG
Associated Press

PHOENIX, Ariz. (AP) — The mother and girlfriend of an unarmed drug suspect fatally shot by a white Phoenix police officer who mistook a pill bottle for a gun do not want the incident to become about race.

Nora Brisbon told The Arizona Republic (http://bit.ly/1yTirau) Thursday that the death of her son, who is black, has nothing to do with race, but about “the wrong that was done to him.”

Tuesday’s shooting of 34-year-old Rumain Brisbon demonstrates the challenges law enforcement agencies face at a time of unrest over police tactics.

Phoenix police say the officer feared Brisbon was armed during their struggle, but some critics say the officer went too far.

About 150 marched through downtown Phoenix to police headquarters Thursday night, calling for an end to what they say is a nationwide epidemic of police brutality.