Black Voicesblack lives matterAlton Sterling cameron sterling

Alton Sterling's Son: 'My Father Was A Good Man'

The 15-year-old made an emotional plea for peaceful protests.
Sebastian Murdock
By 

Senior Reporter, HuffPost

The teen son of Alton Sterling ― a black man fatally shot by police in Baton Rouge, Louisiana ― said his father was a “good man” and called on peaceful protests throughout the country.

In a press conference on Wednesday, 15-year-old Cameron Sterling made an emotional plea to those protesting his father’s death.

“I want everyone to protest the right way ― protest in peace,” Cameron said. “Not guns, not drugs, not alcohol, not violence.”

June 12, 2016 Cameron Sterling is only 15 years old. He is posing with a composite image he made this morning using a picture of himself and an old picture he had of his father. "The police took his phone so all the pictures he took are gone with his phone," he told me. The whole time I am with him, he does not say more than two sentences without conjuring up some memory of his father that brings him close to tears. A song by Drake blares from his cell phone and he immediately starts a sentence with, "that was my dad's favorite song." He tries to smile. "Today has been a peaceful day so far. There was less drama today. It's quiet and calm today. But this morning started with my mom coming to get me so I can meet my lawyer and she had to call down to social services to get some money so our utilities would not be cut off.” Both Cameron and his mother Quinyetta seem to hold each other up with words of encouragement. "Why you crying now big boy, see I know my little teddy bear," she said smiling as she watched her son hold back his tears. Photo and text by @ruddyroye #onassignment #batonrougeportrait #streetphotography #streetportrait #makeportrait #makeportraits @time @leicaakademieusa @leicacamerausa

A photo posted by "Humanist/Activist." (@ruddyroye) on

At an earlier press conference shortly after his father’s death, Cameron was seen breaking down in tears as his mother, Quinyetta McMillon, called for justice. He is the oldest of Sterling’s five children.

Cameron’s plea comes less than a week after a gunman killed five police officers in Dallas during a protest against police killings. Protests have been tense in Baton Rouge as well, where an officer was seen pointing her gun at a HuffPost reporter and protestors.

“Everyone needs to be on one accord, not a different note,” Cameron said. “Everyone needs to be together, not apart. I truly feel that my father was a good man and he will always be a good man.”

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