Mugshots of African-American men used for target practice
Sgt. Valerie Deant arrived at a Florida gun range for weapons training with the National Guard. Miami Beach Police had just been on the range and she was shocked to see the
targets they were using for practice—mugshots of African-American men:
Even more startling for Deant, one of the images was her brother. It was Woody Deant’s mug shot that taken 15 years ago, after he was arrested in connection to a drag race in 2000 that left two people dead. His mug shot was among the pictures of five minorities used as targets by North Miami Beach police, all of them riddled by bullets.
North Miami Beach Police Chief J. Scott Dennis is sorry, but:
“Our policies were not violated,” Dennis said. “There is no discipline forthcoming from the individuals who were involved with this.”
Woody Deant, one of the men who's photo was used for target practice is outraged:
“Now I’m being used as a target?” said Woody Deant. “I’m not even living that life according to how they portrayed me as. I’m a father. I’m a husband. I’m a career man. I work 9-to-5.”
You can see more from NBC 6 South Florida, including interviews with the family
here.