Killing of black US vet gets less coverage

While the case of slain African-American teenager Trayvon Martin has been under the spotlight in the US, the fatal shooting of another black US citizen has received far less attention. Kenneth Chamberlain was fatally shot by the police at his apartment on November 19, 2011. The 68-year-old African-American veteran marine was killed after police raided his home. The officers broke down Chamberlain’s door, tasered him, and then shot him dead. Elderly Chamberlain, who suffered from a heart disease and several other ailments, died while undergoing surgery at the White Plains Hospital. According to Public Safety Commissioner David Chong, officers heard noises behind the apartment door and began forcing the door open to ensure that everyone inside was safe. Chong claimed that the officers tried to control Chamberlain with a Taser and a beanbag gun but he came at the police with a knife, prompting an officer to shoot him twice in the chest. Chamberlain’s family said the audio and video of police Nov. 19 provide evidence that officers used a racial slur and expletives before prying open the apartment door. The case is expected to go before a grand jury in the coming weeks. The issue of hate crimes is one of the most controversial topics in the Unites States. According to a recent report by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, hate crimes target blacks in 70 percent of race-based cases.