Every year, Ben Kinsey waves an American flag on a South Carolina bridge for 11 hours to honor victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. 
 
 On Thursday, the veteran was seen standing alone on the bridge once again, but he was two months early. 
 
 This time he was honoring the four U.S. Marines killed by a gunman who attacked two military facilities in Chattanooga, Tenn. 
 
 South Carolina resident Noah Smith was driving home from work when he spotted Kinsey on the I-20 overpass and snapped a photo. Afterward, he shared the man's story on Facebook, and it quickly went viral. 
 
 "I wonder what he was doing turned around, parked my car got out and walked up to him and said, 'Sir this is really awesome of you but why are you doing this?'" the North August resident shared in the Facebook post. "He replies with 'I'm standing out here for the four Marines killed today in TN. You know they can survive combat and come home during a peaceful time and get killed.'" 
 
 The man told Smith he planned on staying on the bridge for four hours -- one for each Marine killed in the shootings. 
 
 "For the past three years, on 9/11, I've been standing on the bridge," Kinsey told CBS affiliate WRDW on Friday. "I try to do 11 hours to remember the folks who died on 9/11." 
 
 Dozens of Facebook users, including Whitney Degnan, say this isn't the first time they've seen Kinsey on the bridge. 
 
 Last year, Degnan was driving under the bridge on Sept. 11 when she saw him with a flag and pulled over to see if he was alright. He explained that he had spent time in the U.S. Marine Corp. and he would spend time on the bridge in remembrance of 9/11 "every year until he was dead." 
 
 That's why Degnan wasn't surprised to see Kinsey on the bridge again. 
 
 "I was surprised, but the same time I wasn't," Degnan told CBS News. "I saw the picture and automatically knew it was the same man. I was in awe because he is well over the age to be standing on a bridge in 100-degree weather, but he did and all for four people and the other thousands that he doesn't even know." 
 
 Hundreds of people on Facebook said they would like to stand with him next year. 
 
 "I will stand with him, any one else?" one user commented. 
 
 "Think everyone that agrees with and supports this man should go stand in that bridge? I'm down," another said. 
 
 Degnan said she plans on visiting him again this year. 
 
 "[With] all these horrible things are happening around us, he will be the reminder that our country will forever stand tall," she said. ||||| Cell phone videos showing the moments before and after a man was shot by a North Miami Police officer were released Wednesday. (Published Thursday, July 21, 2016) 
 
 Cell phone video released Wednesday shows the moments before and after a black South Florida caregiver laying on his back with his hands in the air was shot by a North Miami Police officer, as he was trying to calm an autistic patient. 
 
 One day after the video gained national attention, the North Miami Police Department addressed the media for the first time Thursday. 
 
 Chief Gary Eugene did not take questions, but issued a statement saying the shooting was being investigated and vowing to find out what took place. 
 
 "We as a city, and as a member of this police department have questions," Eugene said. "I assure you we will get all the answers." 
 
 RAW: Video Shows Man With Hands Up Before Shot by Police 
 
 WARNING: Some viewers may find this video disturbing. This cellphone video shows the moments before a South Florida caregiver was shot by a North Miami Police officer as he was trying to calm an autistic patient. Charles Kinsey was hospitalized with a gunshot wound to his leg. His attorney, Hilton Napoleon, said Kinsey was unarmed. Police said the officer has been placed on administrative leave, per department policy. (Published Thursday, July 21, 2016) 
 
 The video shows part of the Monday encounter that left Charles Kinsey, a caregiver at a nearby group home for mentally disabled adults, hospitalized with a gunshot wound to his leg. 
 
 Around 5 p.m. Monday, Kinsey found one of the residents, who is severely autistic, sitting in the middle of the street, holding a toy truck. 
 
 The video shows Kinsey, laying on the street and holding his hands in the air, begging the autistic man next to him to be still and lay down. He also tells police officers at the scene that he's unarmed, according to the video, which was shot by a witness and released by Kinsey's attorney. 
 
 "Rinaldo please be still, sit down, lay on your stomach Rinaldo," Kinsey says. The man is heard yelling at Kinsey to "shut up." 
 
 The video shows two officers standing behind light poles several yards away, their guns drawn. It lasted for 3-4 minutes, then Kinsey was shot in the leg. 
 
 "My client asked why did you shoot me? The officer told my client, 'I don't know,' that was his words verbatim," attorney Hilton Napoleon told NBC 6. "Another officer asked, 'Why did you shoot this guy?' and the shooting officer said he didn't know why he shot him." 
 
 Investigation Continues Into North Miami Police Involved Shooting 
 
 The shooting of an unarmed man by police in North Miami is being investigated by FDLE agents and is drawing outrage. NBC 6's Michael Spears has the latest. (Published Thursday, July 21, 2016) 
 
 At a news conference Thursday, Miami-Dade Police Benevolent Association President John Rivera said the officer opened fire on the autistic man because he thought the autistic man was armed and about to shoot Kinsey, but the officer accidentally hit Kinsey. 
 
 "This is not a case of a rogue cop, this is not a case of police abuse, this is a case where a police officer was trying to save Mr. Kinsey's life and unfortunately his shot went astray," Rivera said. 
 
 The shooting comes amid national outrage over the fatal shootings of two black men earlier this month and heightened tensions following the recent killing of police officers in Dallas, Texas, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 
 
 Police said officers responded to the scene after they received a 911 call of an armed man threatening suicide. Officers tried to "negotiate" with the two men and at one point, an officer fired, police said in a statement. 
 
 "There is no justification, heightened alert or not, to shoot an unarmed man laying on the ground with his hands in the air who is telling you that no one has a gun and the person here is autistic," Napoleon said. 
 
 The second piece of video shows Kinsey in the road after he was hit in the leg with a bullet. His attorney said officers handcuffed him and left him there until paramedics arrived. 
 
 Caregiver Shot by Police While Calming Autistic Patient 
 
 A new video has people asking why North Miami police shot a man who was working with an autistic man. NBC 6's Michael Spears has the story. (Published Thursday, July 21, 2016) 
 
 Clint Bower told NBC 6 his employee, who's in his 40s "somehow" got shot. 
 
 "The individual who lives here was walking down the street with a toy in his hand, someone called the police saying someone had a weapon, that's all we know," Bower said. "He's an unarmed person who got shot doing his job." 
 
 A community group called the Circle of Brotherhood that Kinsey volunteers with said they are alarmed this could happen again. 
 
 "We believe a criminal offense has taken place by a police officer, and that the days of double standards are over," said Lyle Muhammad, who is in the group. "This office and department has an opportunity and deserve time to do the right thing by this case." 
 
 The identity of the officer is unknown but police said he's a 30-year-old Hispanic man who has been with the department for four years. The officer has been placed on administrative leave, per department policy. 
 
 Kinsey remains hospitalized but he could be released as soon as Thursday. No officers were injured. 
 
 New Videos Show Moments Before and After Man Was Shot by North Miami Police Officer 
 
 Cell phone videos showing the moments before and after a man was shot by a North Miami Police officer were released Wednesday. The videos show part of the Monday encounter that left Charles Kinsey hospitalized with a gunshot wound to his leg. (Published Thursday, July 21, 2016) 
 
 The office of Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez released a statement, saying the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the case and would turn over their findings once it was complete. 
 
 North Miami Police did not respond to requests for more information about the shooting, including whether a weapon was found at the scene. 
 
 Bower said neither man carried a gun. 
 
 "It wasn't a weapon, it was a toy truck, he likes to hold toys in his hand. If you go in his room he's got toys all on his windowsill," Bower said. 
 
 At Thursday's news conference, U.S. Representative Frederica Wilson was visibly upset when she stepped to the microphone. 
 
 "North Miami is where the police officers and the community gel," Wilson said. "The video is like a nightmare.” 
 
 "We love the police, we’re pro-police, but today I’m in total shock of what I saw," she said. ||||| NORTH MIAMI, FLA. (WSVN) - A therapist who works at a group home for the disabled is still in shock after a North Miami Police officer shot him, but according to the Police Union president, that officer may have been aiming for someone else. 
 
 Thursday afternoon, the North Miami Police Department released a statement saying that officer has been placed on administrative leave. They have yet to identify the officer but they described him as a 30-year-old Hispanic male who has been with the department for four years. 
 
 North Miami Police have not released the officer’s name or an update on their investigation. However, they did say that the State Attorney is now involved with the investigation. 
 
 Protesters gathered outside and inside of the North Miami Police Headquarters lobby with signs and questions about how an unarmed man with his hands up could be shot by police. 
 
 Cellphone video was released Wednesday afternoon showing Charles Kinsey lying on the ground with his hands in the air, telling officers that weapons are not necessary. Police were summoned to the scene by a 911 caller on Monday saying someone was armed and suicidal. 
 
 “I still get my hands in the air,” Kinsey said in an interview with 7News from his hospital bed Wednesday, “and I said, ‘I just got shot.’ I’m standing there like, ‘Sir, why did you shoot me?’ and his words to me was, ‘I don’t know.'” 
 
 Kinsey was released from the hospital Thursday night. 
 
 The Miami-Dade Police Union president said Thursday afternoon that Kinsey did everything right and that the North Miami Police officer was aiming for the patient out of fear that he had a gun and was planning to hurt Kinsey. 
 
 “The movement of the white individual looked like he was getting ready to charge a firearm into Mr. Kinsey,” said John Rivera, president of the Miami-Dade County Police Benevolent Association, “and the officer discharged, trying to strike and stop the white male, and unfortunately, he missed.” 
 
 Rivera released a statement from the officer that said in part: “I took this job to save lives and help people. I did what I had to do in a split second to accomplish that and hate to hear others paint me as something I’m not.” 
 
 “This is a case where a police officer was trying to save Mr. Kinsey’s life, and unfortunately, his shot went astray,” Rivera said. 
 
 Rivera also said his thoughts and prayers are with Kinsey. 
 
 Many people in the community still have questions about why the officer pulled the trigger. 
 
 On Thursday afternoon, North Miami Police Chief Gary C. Eugene and U.S. Congresswoman Frederica Wilson held a press conference regarding the shooting. “We have witness statements that there was a gun,” said Eugene. “We had a 911 call with that same information. However, I want to make it clear there was no gun recovered.” 
 
 When Congresswoman Wilson was asked whether better training in mental health issues would have made a difference, she said we can only pray. “That’s the only solution I have,” said Wilson. “As I stand here, when you shoot a man lying on the ground with his hands up explaining to you the situation – and you shoot him anyway – something is not right with that picture, so we, as a district, are in shock.” 
 
 Wilson said that seeing the video felt like a nightmare. “Lying on the ground with his hands up, freezing, being rational, and he was still shot,” she said. “If you’re ever stopped by the police — freeze, don’t move. That’s number one on the brochure that we created with the 5000 Role Models, to train them boys. What else could we have told him? What could have saved him from being shot?” 
 
 The North Miami Police Chief spoke publicly for the first time since the officer shot Kinsey on Monday. “I realize there are many questions about what happened on Monday night,” said North Miami Police Chief Gary Eugene. “You have questions. The community has questions.” 
 
 Eugene said that the department has handed over the investigation to FDLE. He declined to take further questions after his statement. 
 
 Kinsey’s lawyer, Hilton Napoleon, is outraged. “There’s no justification for shooting an unarmed person who’s talking to you and telling you that they don’t have a gun, and that they’re a mental health counselor,” Napoleon said. 
 
 According to Napoleon, the North Miami City leaders are talking to him about a cash settlement. “They want to resolve it relatively fast in a matter of good faith, to let the community know that they take these things seriously,” he said. 
 
 The North Miami cellphone video of Kinsey with his hands up has gone viral around the world. 
 
 “So we’re pro-police,” Wilson said. “We love the police. We know that when the police breaks down, the country to dissolved, but today, I’m in shock. I am in total shock of what I saw.” 
 
 Around 6 p.m., Wednesday, a group called the Circle of Brotherhood stood outside the North Miami Police Department, requesting that police answer questions about what happened and if the officer responsible for shooting his weapon will face charges. 
 
 The organization, which Kinsey is a part of, works to solve problems in the community. 
 
 Other protests broke out Thursday night in front of the department. “We want the officer fired, charged, convicted,” said protest organizer Valencia Gunder. 
 
 The North Miami Police Department has set up a community comments hotline, Thursday. If you’d like to give them a call, the number is 305-547-8644. 
 
 Copyright 2018 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
– Plenty of words of praise have been offered for the four Marines shot to death in Chattanooga yesterday, but it's a veteran's silent tribute that is resonating online. Ben Kinsey stood on a South Carolina bridge for four hours yesterday with an American flag, an hour for each victim, reports CBS News. He wasn't looking to call attention to the salute: It just so happened that Noah Smith saw Kinsey on the I-20 overpass and stopped to ask what was going on. His subsequent Facebook post has been shared more than 40,000 times. Smith writes that he parked his car and walked to Kinsey, saying, "'Sir this is really awesome of you but why are you doing this? He replies with 'I'm standing out here for the four Marines killed today in TN. You know they can survive combat and come home during a peaceful time and get killed.'" Kinsey tells CBS that he shows up on the bridge every Sept. 11 for an 11-hour tribute.