Authorities say the pending police investigation will be presented for a grand jury to decide whether charges are merited.
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Columbus police officer Bryan Mason, a member of the department for nearly 10 years, shot Tyre, multiple times on September 14 after the boy ran from investigators and pulled out a BB gun that looked like a real firearm, police have said.
The NAACP is asking the U.S. Department of Justice to begin an independent investigation into officer-involved shootings by the Columbus Division of Police. Diaz, acting as a consultant for the King family in this case, is a medical examiner in Wayne County, Michigan.
The family said through its attorneys in announcing the funeral this week that it stood with recent police shooting victims and their families in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Tulsa, Oklahoma. Mason displays “exceptional verbal skills” in defusing “potentially hostile situations”, according to the evaluation.
Mason, a nine-year veteran of the force, is on administrative leave as the shooting is investigated.
“I can only hope and wish that they take the time to understand that our children cannot keep dying at the hands of anyone – whether it’s police (or) regular street violence”, said Stacey Little, 31. Some police departments say they¿ve noticed an uptick in replicas.
Witnesses reported that a group of people – one witness suggested there were seven or eight – robbed a man of $10 at gunpoint Wednesday night east of downtown Columbus. Rich Weiner (WY’-nur), says police can not comment on the examination pending the release of the official coroner’s report.
It was later determined the gun in question was an air pistol that fires BBs – small, metal pellets, not bullets.
Demetrius Braxton, 19, faces a felony robbery charge..
Judge Eileen Paley granted defense attorney Marcus Ross’ request to waive Braxton’s initial court appearance Monday after he raised the records issue. Braxton remained held without bond.
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Defense attorney Marcus Ross declined further comment about Braxton after Monday’s hearing. They said they believe he was fleeing an armed robbery scene at the time he was shot and released photos of a similar weapon to show how realistic it looked.
