Florida deputies shot and killed black man in his back yard over 'rusty pocket knife'

Florida sheriff's deputies shot and killed a black Pompano Beach resident in his back yard on Friday night because he wouldn't put down a rusty pocket knife.

The New York Daily News reported that 52-year-old Gregory Frazier was shot dead by a group of white officers after a domestic disturbance during a back yard barbecue.

Frazier's sister Deborah called the police because he was arguing with another family member and the situation was getting out of hand. When officers arrived, Frazier was sitting in his back yard eating and holding an old Swiss Army knife.

The Miami Herald said that Broward Sheriff's Officers confronted him and asked him to put the knife down. When he did not immediately comply, they reportedly shot him dead.

Deborah Frazier told CBS Miami that her brother had been arguing with her daughter.

“They had a little fight,” Frazier said. “My brother was a little upset. And I was a little scared. So I called the police, you know, hoping that they would talk to my brother and constrain him. I didn’t think that the altercation would cause death.”

She said the use of lethal force was excessive for the situation.

“Yes, he had a pocket knife. A rusty pocket knife,” she said. “I believe those three cops could have sat down, talked to him, used tasers, anything, to constrain him.”

BSO spokesman Scott Israel told CBS, “He was armed with a knife. A confrontation happened and both deputies fired shots. The subject, tragically, was pronounced deceased on the scene.”

Both deputies were placed on administrative leave pending an investigation.