TLC’s T-Boz reveals Police Shot her Mentally ill Cousin6 min read

TLC’s Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins recently shared a series of social media posts claiming that Eddie Russell, a cousin of hers with a mental illness, was shot 18 times by the police.

“My Cousin Was Shot 18 Times Including the Face and Back of His Head!” part of her Instagram post read. “He Harmed NO ONE EVER! He Had Mental Health Issues AND THE COPS KNEW THAT! Anything he’s ever Done Was minor and NON VIOLENT!”

According to a Facebook post by the Peoria Police Department, police officers responded to a bank robbery report at First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust at 12:49 p.m. on Sept. 20 and that the suspect “ran westbound towards the neighboring residential area after the robbery.” The officers identified the suspect as Russell, 25, from the bank’s surveillance video.

The post also stated that, based on the gathered evidence, “approximately 18 shots were fired, which is consistent with the coroner’s finding that Russell was struck 17—20 times.” In addition, the post stated that “the handgun Russell was armed with during the shooting incident matches the description of the gun he used during the Bank Robbery at First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust.”

However, Watkins’ details of the incident are different.

According to her Instagram post, “The cops told [Russell’s] mother to call him out on a bullhorn” and told her “‘WE WILL GIVE HIM THE HELP HE NEEDS.'” She then wrote that Russell “Came Out Because He Heard His Mother” and that the police officers “used beyond excessive force to gun him down also with heavy artillery used in warfare!”

She claimed that her cousin was shot with an AR15 on Twitter.