Officer Who Sparked Riot Returning to Work
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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A white police officer whose shooting of a black motorist sparked rioting in St. Petersburg last fall will return to work in a mostly white neighborhood, a police spokeswoman said Thursday.
Officer James Knight was suspended after he shot and killed TyRon Mark Lewis during a routine traffic stop Oct. 24. Lewis’ death was followed by a night of rioting in south St. Petersburg, which has a predominantly African American population. At least 11 people were hurt and nearly 30 fires were set.
A second night of rioting started Nov. 13 after a grand jury ruled that Lewis’ death was a justifiable homicide. Knight said Lewis had tried to run him over.
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