White police officer cleared over shooting of black teen

A white police officer has been cleared of homicide after shooting an unarmed black teenager.

Michael Rosfeld was charged after fatally shooting Antwon Rose II in the back last June.

Antwon had been riding in the back of an unlicensed taxi which was involved in a drive-by shooting. Mr Rosfeld pulled the car over, and shot the 17-year-old in the back, arm, and the side of the face as he ran away.

The shooting was captured on camera and led to weeks of unrest.

The panel of seven men and five women, including three black jurors, was shown the video of the fatal confrontation, which showed Antwon falling to the ground after being hit.

The jury took just four hours to deliberate on the fourth day of the trial before reaching their conclusion.

Antwon's family were stoic when the verdict was read out.

Mrs Rosfeld is reported to have cried before she and her husband were led out of the courtroom.

Several people burst out in song, chanting: "Antwon Rose was a freedom fighter, and he taught us how to fight."

Outside, dozens of protesters said: "Say his name: Antwon Rose the Second."

Antwon's family's attorney had pushed for a murder conviction, saying it had been "pretty obvious" that the teenager was not a threat to the police officer.

Patrick Thomassey, defending, told reporters after the verdict that Rosfeld "is a good man".

He said he hoped "everybody takes a deep breath and gets on with their lives".

Antwon's death, one of several high-profile killings of black teens and men by white officers, sparked angry protests in Pittsburgh last summer. One late-night march shut down a major highway.

In the trial, Mr Rosfeld told the jury he thought Antwon or another suspect had a gun, and said he fired to protect himself and the communuty.Mr Rosfeld had only worked for East Pittsburgh Police Department for a few weeks, and was officially sworn in just hours before the fatal shooting.

Prosecutors claimed the new recruit gave inconsistent statements about the shooting, including whether he thought Antwon was armed.

A defence expert said Mr Rosfeld was within his rights to use deadly force if he thought a suspect had just been involved in a shooting.

Mr Rosfeld told the jury he thought a gun had been pointed at him. Neither teen, either Antwon or the second person in the car, was holding a gun when Mr Rosfeld opened fire.

Mr Rosfeld said: "It happened very quickly. My intent was to end the threat that was made against me."

Antwon had been in the front of the cab, when Zaijuan Hester, who was in the back, rolled down a window and shot at two men, hitting one in the abdomen.

Mr Rosfeld then spotted the car a few minutes later and ordered them to pull over. Antwon and another passenger began running away, at which point, the officer fired three times in quick succession.

One witness, John Leach, told the jury he heard Mr Rosfeld crying and hyperventilating after the shooting, and heard him say: "Why did I shoot? Why did I fire?"

Mr Rosfeld is also reported to have told the jury: "I was upset and shocked. I could see the wound on his face. He was moaning, trying to breath."

Hester, 18, last week pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and firearms violations. He told a judge he was behind the shooting, not Antwon.

In a statement after the verdict, Antwon's family said they were "devastated" by the acquittal, but grateful for the support they had received from the community.

They are pursuing a civil lawsuit over the death,

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