MIAMI, Feb. 17 (UPI) -- The American Civil Liberties Union and NAACP asked city, state and federal officials to probe six Miami-police shooting deaths of black men, with one last week.
Victor Curry, president of the local NAACP chapter, called on state Attorney General Pam Bondi to intervene and asked U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., to seek a U.S. Justice Department probe.
Curry also asked civil-rights activist the Rev. Al Sharpton to visit Miami and lead a community rally. No date for the rally was set.
The Florida ACLU separately asked Miami's Civilian Investigative Panel, which has subpoena power, to look into the police killings since last July. New York City had the same number of police shootings in 2010 but its population is 20 times larger than that of Miami, the ACLU said.
Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado and City Commissioner Richard Dunn called for Police Chief Miguel Exposito's dismissal, The Miami Herald reported.
City Manager Tony E. Crapp Jr., who as the chief administrative officer could decide Exposito's fate, promised to study the cases before taking action and brought in a retired FBI chief to review the department.
Exposito, a 36-year veteran of the force, refused comment on the shootings, which were also denounced at a candlelight vigil Tuesday night.
