BATON ROUGE - The mother of Alton Sterling's son says she didn't know Sterling to carry a gun and doesn't believe he had one with him the night he was shot to death.

Quinyetta McMillon told The Associated Press on Friday: "I do not believe in my heart that there was a gun."

Sterling was fatally shot Tuesday during a struggle with two police officers outside a convenience store in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Police say he was armed and an eyewitness said police pulled a gun out of his pocket. McMillon says she believes police said that "to cover up something."

McMillon described Sterling as a good father to their son Cameron, calling them the "Doublemint twins" because they liked to eat snacks together. She said Cameron Sterling has been devastated by the loss of his father.