A 48-year-old good samaritan was killed after he was shoved by a cop in a Pennsylvania Walmart parking lot Sunday evening.
But police have yet to release details, including the name of the officer. So far, all we know is that the cop was from the Center Township Police Department, according to CBS Pittsburgh.
Witnesses say Kenneth Vineyard rushed to render aid to a shooting victim moments after he had been shot but a plainclothes cop at the scene ordered Vineyard to step away from the victim.
Vineyard tried to explain to the cop that he was only trying to help but the cop shoved him backwards, causing him to fall and strike his head on the pavement, according to Joel Sansone, the attorney representing Vineyard’s family. He died later that night at a local hospital.
The incident took place around 6:30 p.m. in Monaca, Pennsylvania after an argument broke out between two men in the parking lot.
Center Township police say they responded to a 911 call and found Rashaum Smith, 20, laying on the ground after having been shot by Yeshua Bratcher.
On the night of the shooting, police told local media they had arrested Bratcher after a foot pursuit. They also said the victim was transported to a hospital in a helicopter.
But they made no mention that one of their officers shoved and killed a good samaritan.
It was only after Sansone called a press conference Monday that the media learned of Vineyard’s death.
Sansone there were many witnesses and there may even be existing video of the cop shoving Vineyard but nothing has surfaced yet.
The attorney said Vineyard stepped away from the shooting victim once paramedics arrived but the cop apparently wanted him to move away quicker.
“The unidentified man insisted Mr. Vineyard step away and violently pushed Mr. Vineyard to the ground where he struck his head on the pavement,” Sansone told reporters. ”
“I’ve come to learn that the unidentified individual who violently pushed Mr. Vineyard is a police officer employed by the Center Township Police Department.”
“This appears to be another instance of senseless police violence,” Sansone said.
Vineyard’s family have launched a Go Fund Me fundraiser.
