Demonstrators march through Pittsburgh day after Rosfeld found not guilty
The day after a jury found Michael Rosfeld not guilty of homicide in the shooting and killing of 17-year Antwon Rose II has brought mixed reactions.
The heads of two of the city’s most powerful philanthropic institutions shared in the shock and outrage that brought people into the streets Friday night while an online fundraiser set up to help Rosfeld with legal fees thanked people for their support.
Rosfeld was charged with one count of homicide for killing Rose on June 19 as the teen ran from a felony traffic stop. Jurors spent less than four hours deliberating Friday before clearing him of any wrongdoing.
A rally that kicked off at Freedom Corner in the Hill District continued throughout Downtown Pittsburgh Saturday afternoon. Here are updates from the demonstrations.
MORE COVERAGE
• Rosfeld acquittal leaves a relieved wife in tears and a mother indignant
• Gunshots fired into Monroeville office of Rosfeld’s lawyer
• Rosfeld’s testimony appeared to sway jury, experts say
• Michael Rosfeld not guilty of homicide in killing of Antwon Rose II
•••
5:41 p.m.
The rally has moved to Schenley Plaza in Oakland.
Now we’re at Schenley Plaza pic.twitter.com/duGfMUyJlA
— Megan Guza (@meganguzaTrib) March 23, 2019
•••
4:22 p.m.
Pittsburgh Public Safety tweeted that rolling road closures were continuing as the demostrations moved on throughout Downtown.
Just before 5 p.m., Public Safety said the Downtown demonstrations had ended peacefully and traffic flow was resuming as normal.
ALERT: Armstrong Tunnels have reopened. Demonstration now back Downtown. Continued rolling road closures in area as people move through. https://t.co/ZzqFGiSZtI
— Pgh Public Safety (@PghPublicSafety) March 23, 2019
The Demonstration Downtown has ended. Peaceful from start to finish. Roadways and traffic flow should be back to normal. https://t.co/wvx9fJfLAB
— Pgh Public Safety (@PghPublicSafety) March 23, 2019
3:49 p.m.
The demonstration was making its way back uptown toward PPG Paints Arena after spending some time around the Allegheny County Courthouse.
Back toward PPG Paints Arena pic.twitter.com/LeGkKMZaOz
— Megan Guza (@meganguzaTrib) March 23, 2019
Demonstration now moving back in direction of Uptown. @PghPolice on bicycles, motorcycles and vehicles continue to close roads in area as a safety precaution. Expect delays. https://t.co/jup99W6P5F
— Pgh Public Safety (@PghPublicSafety) March 23, 2019
Reading Antwon’s 10th grade poem, written two years before his death pic.twitter.com/YCgPgphqLH
— Megan Guza (@meganguzaTrib) March 23, 2019
•••
3:30 p.m.
Members of Focus Pittsburgh’s trauma response team were in Braddock and East Pittsburgh today talking to residents and offering support in the wake of Friday’s acquittal of Michael Rosfeld.
Members of Focus Pittsburgh’s trauma response team have been out in Braddock and East Pittsburgh today talking to residents and offering support in the wake of Friday’s acquittal of the police officer who fatally shot Antwon Rose II during a traffic stop last year. pic.twitter.com/RoBsYGh6mg
— Renatta Signorini (@ByRenatta) March 23, 2019
Volunteers from #FocusPGH are engaging with residents and talking about gun violence, community needs, and Antwon Rose II, in North Braddock and East Pittsburgh this afternoon - with @ByRenatta @TribLIVE #AntwonRose pic.twitter.com/wp2OgvhUUF
— Shane Dunlap (@shanedunlap) March 23, 2019
•••
The rally was making its way to the courthouse.
2:59 p.m.
Heading to the courthouse where Michael Rosfeld was acquitted of homicide last night in the 2018 death of Antwon Rose II. pic.twitter.com/RmHridrFat
— Megan Guza (@meganguzaTrib) March 23, 2019
“Hands up, don’t shoot,” at Ross and Sixth pic.twitter.com/vNcYyTgzPK
— Megan Guza (@meganguzaTrib) March 23, 2019
A moment of silence for Antwon Rose II at Ross and Fifth pic.twitter.com/HGiFKMjsXz
— Megan Guza (@meganguzaTrib) March 23, 2019
Sixth and Smithfield pic.twitter.com/3wJSkABWxy
— Megan Guza (@meganguzaTrib) March 23, 2019
•••
2:46 p.m.
Some demonstrators were starting to head toward Downtown Pittsburgh.
Center Avenue pic.twitter.com/pAIPQUxVnF
— Megan Guza (@meganguzaTrib) March 23, 2019
Gathering at Washington Place and Center Ave pic.twitter.com/oRvN9eGgJb
— Megan Guza (@meganguzaTrib) March 23, 2019
•••
2:25 p.m.
Demonstrators gathered at Freedom Corner in the Hill District, where Antwon Rose Sr. spoke.
Antwon Rose Sr. speaks pic.twitter.com/hVNxtnhC2G
— Megan Guza (@meganguzaTrib) March 23, 2019
•••
Earlier Saturday
“Mike was acquitted on all counts. We are beyond words in regards to the support we have received from the community. We truly thank you from the bottom of our hearts,” a post on the Funded Justice page for Rosfeld read Saturday.
The fundraiser page appears to have been started by Rosfeld’s wife, Michelle. The page has raised more than $17,000.
Maxwell King, president and CEO of The Pittsburgh Foundation, and Grant Oliphant, president of The Heinz Endowments, released a joint statement on the verdict Saturday.
”Pittsburgh now sadly joins a disturbing and ever-growing catalogue of cases across the United States where law enforcement or security officials have walked free after the killings of young black men under questionable circumstances,” they wrote.
They asked if Rose would be alive today if he were white. They suspected he would be.
“America is strewn with too many examples of how the poor are betrayed, how African Americans are disfavored and how immigrants are abused. This only adds to the heartbreak and deep sense of injustice that now hangs heavy over our city,” they wrote. “Pittsburgh now has the unwelcome notoriety of having its name added to a list of troubling incidents across America where the dispensing of justice has been less than convincing following the deaths of young black men. And there are questions that must be urgently addressed, locally and nationally, concerning police behavior, law enforcement recruitment and police officer training.”
Staff writer Renatta Signorini contributed. Megan Guza is a staff writer for the Tribune-Review. You can contact Megan at 412-380-8519, mguza@tribweb.com or via Twitter @meganguzaTrib.
Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.