College Aspirations and Armed Robbery: What We Know so Far in Tony Robinson Shooting

Tony Robinson’s death in Madison, Wisconsin, contrast heavily with Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.
College Aspirations and Armed Robbery: What We Know so Far in Tony Robinson Shooting
Jack Phillips
3/9/2015
Updated:
3/9/2015

People gather during a rally protesting the shooting death of Tony Robinson, March 7, 2015, in Madison. (AP Photo/Wisconsin State Journal, John Hart)
People gather during a rally protesting the shooting death of Tony Robinson, March 7, 2015, in Madison. (AP Photo/Wisconsin State Journal, John Hart)

4. Robinson’s Twitter talked of drugs

Before the shooting, Robinson used Twitter on a regular basis.

He tweeted about using drugs and an ankle monitor he wore after he was released on bond after his arrest, according to the Smoking Gun.

In December, he said on Facebook: “The only things cops are getting trained for is to shoot first and ask questions later.”

He also made posts about the Department of Justice investigation into the Ferguson, Missouri police department.

 

5. Robinson’s death contrasts with Ferguson killing

Chief Mike Koval said he’s aware Madison is being watched around the U.S. after Robinson’s death.

“Folks are angry, resentful, mistrustful, disappointed, shocked, chagrined. I get that,” Koval said on Saturday. “People need to tell me squarely how upset they are with the Madison Police Department.”

The contrasts with Ferguson are many, however.

While Ferguson police initially gave little information about the shooting of Michael Brown, an 18-year-old, unarmed black man, Koval rushed to the home of Robinson’s mother. She didn’t want to meet with him, he said, but he talked and prayed with Robinson’s grandmother in the driveway for 45 minutes.

It took a week for Ferguson to release the name of the officer who shot Brown. Koval announced the name of the officer involved in Madison, Matt Kenny, the day after the shooting. He volunteered to reporters that the officer had been in a previous fatal shooting in 2007, and that he had been cleared of wrongdoing.

On the day that Ferguson police named the officer who shot Brown, they also released video showing what they said was Brown robbing a store. When Koval was asked about Robinson’s past criminal record Saturday, he declined to comment, saying it would be inappropriate to do so a day after the man died.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Jack Phillips is a breaking news reporter with 15 years experience who started as a local New York City reporter. Having joined The Epoch Times' news team in 2009, Jack was born and raised near Modesto in California's Central Valley. Follow him on X: https://twitter.com/jackphillips5
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