Outrage has grown following the fatal Thanksgiving night police shooting of 15-year-old Jazmir Tucker in Akron, Ohio.
According to a police statement, by Fox 8two officers were in their vehicle when they heard gunshots. While investigating, they encountered Tucker, who had a loaded gun, and a foot chase ensued.
The outlet reported that the officers’ body camera audio was not activated. But the video showed a five-year police veteran firing his rifle at the teenager, hitting him as they yelled, “Stop moving, stop moving, put your hands by your side.”
Stanley Jackson, an attorney representing Tucker’s family, said officers waited more than 10 minutes before helping the high school student. How the guardian He reported that body camera video shows “that a group of officers waited seven minutes to approach the boy after he was shot.”
The New York Times reported that Akron Mayor Shammas Malik said the recovered gun was found “in a zippered pocket on Jazmir’s clothing.”
“Given that, why did the officer decide to use his weapon?” Malik asked in a statement, also expressing concern about the officers’ delay in providing medical assistance.
“I also think many will question why the officers used rifles instead of handguns to respond to this incident,” Malik said, per the guardian. “This will be something we will discuss further, including in the internal investigation and as part of our comprehensive review of the use of force, including when and how different weapons are used.”
Fox 8 reported that attorney Robert Gresham said, “These officers clearly engaged Jaz with aggressive intent,” adding, “Unfortunately, this is the culture of the Akron police force.”
The outlet also mentioned that Akron Police Chief Brian Harding said the department’s policy is to activate body cameras when responding; I wasn’t sure if the officers violated that policy in this case.
The officer who shot Tucker is on paid administrative leave, which the outlet noted is standard.
