PATERSON — Activists want answers about a fatal shooting by police, including the name of the officer who fired at a man who was "acting erratically" outside police headquarters.

A group called Black Lives Matter Paterson posted an online petition demanding the release of the name of the officer who shot the man who the group has identified as Larry "Sincere" Bouie.

"We demand transparency. We demand accountability. We demand justice. We want the full story of what transpired that night when our brother, Sincere, was shot," the petition said.

The petition describes Bouie as "emotionally disturbed" and believes that "mental health response units, skilled in the ability to de-escalate the “emotionally disturbed,” could have prevented the shooting that occurred."

The group also plans a "Justice4Sincere" rally Tuesday night at the Paterson Police Department headquarters. There was also a rally on Monday night.

Bouie's girlfriend, Tasha Wade, told NorthJersey.com that they were driving in Wade's car with their 9-year-old twin sons Saturday when the car battery died. Bouie went to look for help and was "acting crazy" as he yelled for help in the street, according to the report.

There is no indicated that Bouie had a weapon.

In a news release, Passaic County Prosecutor Cameila Valdes identified the officer as an "on-duty female officer." She did not return a call seeking comment.

The shooting is being investigated by the county prosecutor as a matter of course. Authorities in New Jersey do not usually identify the officers involved in shootings, a practice that has been criticized by civil liberties groups and police reformers who believe that investigations into use of force by officers should be more transparent.

The shooting in Paterson was one of at least two police-involved shootings reported over the weekend in the state. The Camden County Prosecutor's Office said a Haddon police officer shot and injured a man who had fled from a traffic stop Saturday morning and then struggled with police.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com.

 

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