Two Black Men Suspected of Stealing Beer Shot by Police - Reports

Two African American men suspected of stealing beer from a supermarket were reportedly shot by a police officer in Olympia, Washington.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Two African American men in their 20s suspected of stealing beer from a supermarket were shot early on Thursday by a police officer in Olympia, Washington, local media reported.

“Two stepbrothers suspected of trying to steal beer from a grocery store were not armed with guns when they were later shot Thursday by a police officer who confronted them in Washington State's capital city,” the media outlet KOMO said on Thursday.

One of the suspects is in critical condition and the other is stable, while the white police officer who fired the shots has been put on administrative leave, according to local media.

Olympia Police Chief Ronnie Roberts said in a news conference that police responded after employees at a supermarket reported two men had tried to steel beer and threw it at workers as they fled.

One police officer then found the suspects, who the police officer said attacked him with skateboards at which point police fired shots.

Small protests were reported in response to the shooting.

The shooting comes after a string of high-profile deaths of mostly African American men at the hands of US police, including Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri and Freddie Gray in Baltimore, sparked both peaceful and violent protests around the United States and calls for police reform.