Edwards, Broome urge calm after feds forgo charges in Alton Sterling case

The Justice Department's decision on the Sterling case also comes on the heels of a plea deal between federal prosecutors and former SC police officer Michael Slager for the 2015 death of black motorist Walter Scott, who was trying to flee when Slager fatally shot him in the back. Marjorie Esman, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana, said most of the investigation into Sterling's death likely was conducted before Trump took office.

Sterling was shot to death July 5 after police responded to a 911 call reporting a man making a threat with a gun in front of a market.

Salamoni shouted at least twice during a struggle on the ground that Sterling had a gun, Amundson said, before opening fire.

On Tuesday, rumors circulated that the Department of Justice had concluded its investigation into the case and were not planning to charge either officer due to lack of evidence.

The prosecutor says the officers recovered a loaded revolver from Sterling's pocket.

Although the videos show that Sterling's right hand was not in or near his right pocket, he continued to move after being shot, despite Lake's commands not to, the Justice Department said.

"We must dedicate ourselves to work for racial healing and transformation in Baton Rouge", the statement said.

In order to prosecute the case, the government would have to prove not only that Sterling was not reaching for his gun, but also that Salamoni did not actually believe Sterling was reaching for his gun after being warned not to move, the agency said. And a white suburban Dallas officer was sacked after fatally shooting a 15-year-old boy as the auto he was riding in was driving away.

"We are unable to establish beyond a reasonable doubt the precise location of Mr". But witnesses said Sterling was not reaching for the gun.

The governor said he expects Landry - through the prosecutor Landry appoints to the case - to review the voluminous materials gathered during the federal investigation before involving the state police.

Stewart said this shows Salamoni instigated the situation. Still, he said, "experts criticized aspects of the officers' technique". A police incident report does not specify who shot Sterling. The officers were put on leave after the shooting.

Some called for Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry's office to investigate.

However, Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat who oversees the state police, said the investigation is in Landry's hands. The announcement is expected at 1 p.m.

The officers still face a state criminal investigation over last summer's shooting of Alton Sterling, 37, in Baton Rouge, the state capital.

In an interview with WBRZ on Tuesday, Sandra Sterling said the decision not to file federal charges "hurts so bad".

"We are not going to take this sitting down", she said. The federal government didn't bring charges - they didn't conclude the officers meant to violate Sterling's civil rights - but they didn't rule out the possibility that the officers were reckless or heightened the tension with Sterling when they confronted him.

Sterling's family met with representatives of the Department of Justice inside the Federal Courthouse prior to the announcement. "And people are going to see how we react".

The decision to not bring federal charges was reported Tuesday by several news outlets, including the Los Angeles Times. A little more than a week later, another gunman targeting police shot and killed three officers in Baton Rouge.

"This is a seminal moment, and there will be many of them", Melina Abdullah, a Black Lives Matter organizer, said in a telephone interview.

(AP Photo/Gerald Herbert). Everett Matthews of Baton Rouge, holds up a sign outside the Triple S Food Mart, where Alton Sterling was killed a year ago, in Baton Rouge, La., Tuesday, May 2, 2017.

Two police officers who shot and killed a man in Louisiana acted reasonably, the Department of Justice has said.