Hollywood Reacts to Alton Sterling Police Shooting: ‘Don’t Rationalize Murder’

A number of stars from television, movies, music and media are expressing dismay over the death of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana after graphic video of the confrontation with police began circulating online Tuesday.

Sterling, 37, was shot outside a convenience store when two police officers responded to an anonymous complaint that a black male selling CDs threatened another man with a gun. Sterling, who was unarmed, died from multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and back, East Baton Rouge Parish coroner Dr. William Clark said.

“He had a right to sell CDs, and a right to due process, but he was shot for being a black man,” actress Olivia Wilde (“Vinyl”) wrote on Twitter. “Don’t rationalize murder.”

According to The Washington Post, there have been 505 people killed by police in 2016. Sterling’s death is the most recent.

“How many more times must this happen for us to matter?” actress Zendaya tweeted. “How many more must we lose?”

See more reactions below:

5 kids. 6 shots. #AltonSterling His family is left to greive. The officers left for vacation or what the system calls “Leave”…

A photo posted by Nick Cannon (@nickcannon) on Jul 6, 2016 at 7:12am PDT

Executed this man about selling bootleg DVDs! Smh it’s only gone get worst! They don’t care about us!

A video posted by Meek Mill (@meekmill) on Jul 5, 2016 at 11:21pm PDT

It saddens me that 5 kids are growing up without their father. 2 white Police Officers killed Alton Sterling while he was standing outside a store selling CD’s. These officers got a call that a man was outside the store with a gun but for some reason the officers were wearing Body Cam’s that weren’t connected & recording. Wrestled him down to the ground with no warrant to do so & shot him in the chest & back!! When is America & the judicial system that’s suppose to protect us, gonna make these officers who are killing black men take responsibility for what’s going on. This is literally getting away with MURDER & it continues to happen #RipAltonSterling

A photo posted by Fabolous (@myfabolouslife) on Jul 6, 2016 at 3:51am PDT

THIS IS FUCKING WRONG!!!!!!!! HOW MANY TIMES ARE WE AS PEOPLE ARE GONNA ALLOW THIS MURDER AND BRUTALITY?????? I HATE THIS!!!!!!! GUNS DONT KILL POEPLE, CRAZY PEOPE WITH GUNS KILL PEOPLE!

A video posted by 1 (@chrisbrownofficial) on Jul 6, 2016 at 5:52am PDT

How many more times must this happen for us to matter? How many more must we lose?
BLACK. LIVES. MATTER. #AltonSterling

— Zendaya (@Zendaya) July 6, 2016

Keep filming the police. All the time. RIP #AltonSterling https://t.co/D0G6h0BIdH

— Talib Kweli Greene (@TalibKweli) July 6, 2016

Love to Louisiana #AltonSterling

— Amy Schumer (@amyschumer) July 6, 2016

#AltonSterling. Say his name.

— Samira Wiley (@samirawiley) July 6, 2016

558 ppl killed by police in 2016….but Zika is an epidemic? I’ll worry about Mosquitos when they get a badge! #AltonSterling #TeamDl

— DL Hughley (@RealDLHughley) July 6, 2016

heartbroken for #altonsterling and his family ??’”

— christina perri (@christinaperri) July 6, 2016

My heart and prayers go out to his family #AltonSterling

– Wiz Khalifa (@wizkhalifa) July 6, 2016

Happy Rich White Man Day #tonyblair #BatonRougepolicedept #pistorious. RIP #150,000Iraqicivilians , #AltonSterling and #ReevaSteenkamp

– lily (@lilyallen) July 6, 2016

The suffering of the African American ppl is also humanities suffering! This is ALL of our issue! #AltonSterling pic.twitter.com/1WbycB9tQ8

– Keke Palmer (@KekePalmer) July 6, 2016

The shooting of #AltonSterling in #BatonRouge is a legal lynching. Justice must prevail. #Outraged

– Rev Jesse Jackson Sr (@RevJJackson) July 6, 2016

He had a right to sell CDs, and a right to due process, but he he was shot for being a black man. Don’t rationalize murder. #AltonSterling

– olivia wilde (@oliviawilde) July 6, 2016