T-Boz: Police shot mentally ill cousin 18 times

TLC singer Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins is calling for justice after her mentally ill cousin was shot by police.

“My Cousin Was Shot 18 Times Including the Face and Back of His Head! He Harmed NO ONE EVER! He Had Mental Health Issues AND THE COPS KNEW THAT,” a furious Watkins, 47, wrote on Instagram on Sunday. “Anything he’s ever Done Was minor and NON VIOLENT! Eddie Russell Jr -A Human-Being -A Son- Brother-Friend-Nephew – Cousin-HUMAN!”

According to a police press release, officers responded to a report of a bank robbery early Sunday afternoon in Peoria, Ill., and identified Watkins’ cousin, Eddie Russell Jr., as a suspect after looking at surveillance video.

Police claimed that they attempted to contact Russell, 25, at his home for more than two hours, at which point the Peoria Police Special Response Team reported to the scene. Cops alleged that “at approximately 3:46 p.m., Russell emerged from his home and aggressively advanced toward SRT officers with a handgun.” Cops said that the handgun Russell was allegedly carrying at the time of the shooting matched the description of the weapon used to rob the bank.

Russell was shot, per police, a total of 17 to 20 times by six responding officers, none of whom was injured. Russell was pronounced dead at the scene; the six officers who fired at Russell were placed on critical incident leave, which the police department noted was standard practice.

But Watkins doesn’t buy the cops’ account of the incident, tweeting, “They say my cousin had a gun! Whatever he is holding isn’t a gun! And they used his Mother to bring him out telling her since he was mentally ill he’ll get the help he needs! He came out because he heard his mother and they murdered him.”

She continued, “No matter what they SAY he did they shot him 18 times he NEVER had a violent record or harmed ANYONE! Not even the day he was shot … I’ve watched this story change so many times right before my eyes! Jr. Was a sweet harmless young man with mental issues he couldn’t help … He NEVER DESERVED TO GET SHOT 18 times with AR 15’s No one was being held hostage! But one thing we can ALL SEE that doesn’t look like a gun.”

On Tuesday, TLC announced that the upcoming European leg of their world tour has been postponed, but did not specify if it was related to the shooting.