Man shot by Miami police wants charge against him dropped

MIAMI – A man who was shot multiple times by a Miami police officer, and survived, will attend a hearing on Thursday where his lawyer will try to have the charge against him dropped.
Last March, Donald Armstrong’s mother called the police because the 47-year-old was experiencing a mental health crisis.
Armstrong said he was on the drug Molly, which is ecstasy, at the time because he was grieving the death of his first child. He said that he did not register when police told him to put down his weapon. He was holding a screwdriver.
When he did not comply with their demands, a police officer shot him six times.
“Everybody who I know that’s in law enforcement say she tried to kill you, she tried to take your life,” he said.
He said he remembers everything about the day he was shot.
“I fall and I just keep hearing these loud shots and I’m not even realizing I’m being shot. I have an officer on the ground, I have his arm. I’m looking at him in his eyes and I’m saying, ‘Why, why, why,’ I said, ‘Man, y’all trying to kill me,'” said Armstrong.
Armstrong said he has permanent disabilities from the shooting. He was shot in the chest, arm and backside, which has made it difficult for him to walk.
He was originally charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest without violence. The charges were later reduced to a single count of misdemeanor resisting arrest without violence.
Armstrong’s attorney, Larry Handfield, said they expect the case to be dismissed Thursday.
Part of Armstrong’s recovery has included treatment for his mental health, his drug abuse and trauma from the death of his child which Armstrong says is why he turned to drugs in the first place. Now he and his attorney want to see change and accountability on the police side.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which began investigating immediately after the shooting, said the investigation is still active.