A doctor who performed a second autopsy on the body of Stephon Clark in Sacramento says Clark was shot eight times.
Dr. Bennet Omalu said six of those shots were in the back. Clark was unarmed when he was shot by police on March 18th while in his grandmother's backyard.
Clark's death has prompted days of protests in Sacramento.
Dr. Omalu is best known for his work diagnosing brain damage in football players.
The Sacramento Police Department released the following statement in response to the independent autopsy:
“The Sacramento Police Department has not been provided with the official report from the Sacramento County Coroner’s office in the case of Stephon Clark. The Sacramento County Coroner’s Office conducts an independent death investigation that is separate from the joint investigation being conducted by our agency and the California Department of Justice.
Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg also released a statement following the release of the independent autopsy:
“From the moment we saw the video we knew the details of this horrific shooting were graphic and disturbing. We have an obligation to everyone involved, including the family of Stephon Clark, to wait for the full findings and results from the official autopsy and investigation. As the Mayor of our city, I assure the community and the public that we will aggressively seek answers to all of the questions the community is rightfully asking. As important,we will aggressively seek appropriate change to the protocols and training that led to this unacceptable outcome.
From the bottom of my heart, I urge our entire community to work together through nonviolent civil action as we pursue justice and demand reform.”