Demonstrators Protest Sacramento Police Fatal Shooting of Unarmed Black Man

Hundreds of protesters rallied at Sacramento City Hall, shut down Interstate 5 and demonstrated outside the Sacramento Kings game Thursday to protest the police shooting death of a 22-year-old unarmed black man.

Police shot and killed Stephon Clark in the backyard of his grandparent’s home Sunday night. Officers were looking for a robbery suspect when they confronted him. The cops believed Clark had a gun, but he did not have a weapon.

Protesting outside of City Hall, Clinton Primm said he’d been friends with Clark for the past five years. He doesn't think peaceful protests are effective.

“I don’t know if ya’ll want to know what I want to do," Primm said. "Like I said, no justice, no peace. If we don’t get justice there will be no peace, point blank, period. That’s how I’m looking at it."

Protester Anthony Cain had met Clark before and expressed frustration with the police.

“The police, they just get away with seemingly like whatever they want," he said. "As far as I’m concerned, he was mentioning the gang culture out here, the police is the biggest gang. And I’m just gonna leave it at that.”

Tanya Faison, founder of the Sacramento chapter of Black Lives Matter, said her community is hurting.

“The police murdered somebody in cold blood, and we’re fighting for him because he’s not here to fight for himself," Faison said. "They murdered him in his own backyard and they killed him for no reason.”

The Sacramento Kings game was delayed due to protesters who were locked arm-in-arm surrounding entrances to Golden 1 Center. Only a few hundred fans made it into the Golden 1 Center before police decided to not allow anyone else to enter. Several of those who did get in were allowed to move down into the lower bowl of the arena, leaving the upper deck empty.

The officers involved in the shooting have been placed on paid administrative leave while the incident is investigated.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.