Source: Robert Helebrant / Getty
It’s almost like killing us is the first thing on a cop’s mind when on patrol.
Ricky Cobb II, 33, was shot and killed by Minnesota State Trooper Ryan Londregan on July 31, 2023, during a traffic stop that in no way, shape or form required the use of a firearm. According to NewsOne, Cobb was initially pulled over for not having his rear lights on. However, the administrative inquiry revealed that Cobb had a warrant out for his arrest related to the violation of a restraining order in a domestic abuse case.
When Londregan and two other troopers attempted to remove Cobb from his vehicle, he allegedly resisted and tried to drive away. It was at this point that Londregan drew his service weapon and fired two rounds that led to Cobb’s death after a short highway pursuit.
Warning: The following video contains disturbing images. It is not graphic, but please take into consideration your mental health before viewing
Running from the police should not come with a death sentence. Cobb’s family has retained the legal services of Bakari Sellers, Harry Daniels and F. Clayton Tyler to file a complaint with the Minnesota’s board of Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) to hold Londregan accountable for Cobb’s death. Cobb’s mother Nyra Fields-Miller spoke out publicly back in August to pressure Hennepin County to levy criminal charges against all the officers involved. “It’s been six months since that trooper killed my son, but it might as well have been six minutes because the pain doesn’t go away,” Fields-Miller said.
NewsOne reports:
Attorney Baraki Sellers echoed Fields-Miller’s sentiment, saying “Let’s be clear. This wasn’t a tragedy. It was a crime. Ryan Londregan pulled Ricky Cobb II over for not having his rear lights on. But he didn’t write him a ticket. He didn’t read him his rights. He didn’t protect or serve. He made demands, he escalated the situation and then he killed him even though he wasn’t a threat to anyone. And none of the other officers did anything to stop it. This is exactly why the Minnesota Board of Police Officer Standards and Training exists. We’re just asking them to do their jobs.”
According to a report in CBS News, in the POST complaint, Cobb’s mother argues that none of the troopers were in danger or being threatened with violence when they tried to arrest her son.
“First, the troopers were standing to the side and rear of the vehicle and were thus not in the path of the vehicle,” she wrote. “Second, Ricky was not armed and made no threats to the troopers.”
Police found a firearm in the back of Cobb’s car following his death. At no time on the body camera or dash camera footage was Cobb seen holding said firearm. In fact, his hands are visible throughout the interaction.
Hopefully, between the formal complaint and continued public pressure, Ricky Cobb II’s family can get the justice that he didn’t get on the side of the road that day.
