The man who called 911 saying that there was a dangerous man with a gun in the Beavercreek Walmart on August 5 appears to be changing his story about what he actually observed, calling into to question his credibility as a witness.
Michael Wright, a founding partner of Wright & Schulte LLC, has finally been able to view surveillance video of the events that led to the fatal Beavercreek Walmart police shooting of John Crawford III at the Walmart store in Beavercreek, Ohio earlier this month. Mr. Crawford was shot while holding an BB/Pellet air rifle, and Mr. Wright has been retained by his family to investigate the tragic incident and act as their spokesperson.
[whio.com/news/news/kasich-news-conference-today-walmart-shooting/ng5WB/, WHIO, August 19, 2014]
“What we saw was an unjustified killing of John Crawford,” Mr. Wright told WHIO news after watching the footage. “Call it murder, call it manslaughter, call it whatever you want. It was the unjustified killing of this young man. It was unnecessary. It did not have to occur. And he was doing absolutely nothing wrong when engaged by Beavercreek police department.”
Mr. Crawford’s father was also among those who viewed the tapes. “It’s just unbelievable. That’s all I can tell you,” John Crawford Jr. told WHIO. “I pray that no one ever, ever has to go through what we’re going through. It’s unconscionable.”
The Ohio Attorney General’s office is in possession of the tapes of the Ohio Beavercreek Walmart police shooting, and has not released them publicly. Neither Mr. Wright nor the family members who viewed the video discussed its details, as per their agreement with that office. However, Mr. Wright is urging local media outlets to push officials to make the footage public.
According to a report from the Associated Press, police claimed immediately after the August 6th shooting that Mr. Crawford, a 22-year-old resident of Cincinnati, was waving a rifle at customers just prior to the shooting. However, the Ohio Attorney General’s office has confirmed that Mr. Crawford was holding a MK-177 BB/Pellet rifle, a variable pump air rifle made by Crosman Corp., at the time of the incident.
[abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/police-kill-gun-wielding-man-ohio-wal-mart-24860525, Associated Press, August 6, 2014]
Added Mr. Wright, “John was doing exactly what Wal-Mart wanted, shopping and buying merchandise, just like millions of people do every day in this country. He was not threatening anyone, was not pointing the bb gun at anyone, he was just talking on his phone when he was shot with no warning. There was no point in using any force, let alone lethal force. This is a completely unjustifiable killing by the Beavercreek Police.”
Neither the Beavercreek police nor Ohio’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation have released a detailed incident report narrative of the Beavercreek Walmart police shooting or the events leading up to it, according to WHIO. They have also declined to identify which of the two officers on the scene shot Mr. Crawford.
About Wright & Schulte LLC
Wright & Schulte LLC, an experienced personal injury firm, is dedicated to the belief that America’s legal system should work for the people. Every day, the attorneys of Wright & Schulte LLC stand up for the rights of people who have been injured or wronged and fight tirelessly to ensure that even the world’s most powerful corporations take responsibility for their actions. If you’re looking for a law firm that will guarantee the aggressive and personal representation you deserve, please do not hesitate to contact Wright & Schulte LLC today. Free legal evaluations are available through yourlegalhelp.com or by calling 1-800-399-0795.
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