Year Anniversary of The Fatal Beavecreek Police Shooting of John Crawford Approaches

Post published:August 28, 2017
Post category:July 2015

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As One Year Anniversary Approaches In The Shooting Death Of John Crawford III At Hands Of Beavercreek Police, Wright & Schulte LLC Reflects On Events Surrounding The Shooting. Attorney Michael Wright And The Law Firm Wright & Schulte LLC Represents Mr. Crawford’s Family In Their Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Beavercreek Police, Walmart

As the one year anniversary of his death approaches, the attorneys at Wright & Schulte LLC reflect on the events surrounding the shooting of John Crawford III at the hands of the Beavercreek, Ohio police. Mr. Crawford, a 22-year-old resident of Cincinnati, was shot to death on August 5, 2014 after Beavercreek police were dispatched to Walmart to investigate a report of a man waving a gun at people in the store. It was later revealed that Mr. Crawford was holding a bb/pellet rifle, at the time of the incident and the sole witness that reported “a man waving a gun at people” has altered his account.
(abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/police-kill-gun-wielding-man-ohio-wal-mart-24860525, Associated Press, August 6, 2014)

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For the past year, Wright & Schulte LLC has worked diligently to obtain justice on behalf of John Crawford III and his family. The family is now pursuing a civil suit against Beavercreek, the officers involved in the shooting, and Walmart. The Cincinnati FBI also announced they are working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division to investigate the shooting.

Details Of Events In The Shooting Death Of John Crawford III At Hands Of Beavercreek Police

August 5, 2014: John Crawford III is shot by police while shopping at a Walmart in Beavercreek, Ohio, after a witness called 911 claiming that Mr. Crawford was seen waving a rifle around the store and pointing it at people. The rifle in question was actually an air pump rifle, which was for sale at Walmart. Medical reports from the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office show that Mr. Crawford died from a gunshot wound to the torso and the cause of death was listed as “homicide.”
(abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/police-kill-gun-wielding-man-ohio-wal-mart-24860525, Associated Press, August 6, 2014)

August 11, 2014: Michael Wright, a partner with the law firm of Wright & Schulte LLC, appears at a news conference with John Crawford III’s family. According to Mr. Wright, the family is seeking access to surveillance video taken at the time of the shooting.
(whio.com/news/news/local/rally-demand-made-walmart-video-shooting/ng5D4/, Whio.com, August 19, 2014)

August 26, 2014: Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announces that veteran prosecutor Mark Piepmeier had been named to head up the investigation into John Crawford III’s shooting. In announcing Mr. Piepmeier’s appointment, the Attorney General praised his prosecutorial experience, especially with cases involving the excessive use of force by law enforcement officers.
(washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2014/08/26/ohio-attorney-general-appoints-special-prosecutor-to-investigate-wal-mart-shooting/, August 26, 2014)

September 7, 2014: The sole witness who called 911 on the evening of August 5th alters his account. During the 911 call, that the witness clearly told dispatchers that John Crawford III was pointing the rifle at shoppers. But in an interview with The Guardian just a month later, he states that “at no point did he shoulder the rifle and point it at somebody.”
(theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/07/ohio-black-man-killed-by-police-walmart-doubts-cast-witnesss-account, The Guardian, September 7, 2014)

September 24, 2014: A grand jury fails to indict any police officers involved in John Crawford III’s shooting.
(washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2014/09/24/no-indictments-after-police-shoot-and-kill-man-at-an-ohio-wal-mart-justice-dept-launches-investigation/, Washington Post, September 24, 2014)

September 26, 2014: Upon release of the Walmart surveillance video, Attorney Michael Wright appears at a news conference with John Crawford III’s family. According to Mr. Wright, the video shows that John Crawford III had done nothing wrong, had picked up an unboxed pellet rifle off of the Walmart shelf and never pointed it at anyone, and he asserts that the special prosecutor appointed by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office to investigate the case had a clear bias.
(whio.com/news/news/special-grand-jury-selected-john-crawford-case/nhRwM/, Whio.com, September 26, 2014)

October 14, 2014: In recordings released by BCI, Beavercreek police officers told investigators who interviewed them after the shooting, that they shot John Crawford III because he ignored their commands to drop his weapon and get on the ground. Officer Sean Williams said he fired two shots center-mass at Crawford. Sgt. David Darkow said he did not fire his weapon, but he would have had Crawford been in his line of sight. Darkow also said that at the first verbal command, Crawford “startled — I mean he noticeably startled back. He looked up, saw us and startled. We shocked him; it was very evident that our presence had shocked him. Williams said he saw a man with a rifle standing in a store aisle, matching the description dispatchers had given him of a black man waving a weapon at shoppers. After Williams shot Crawford, he said that Crawford fell, dropped the BB rifle and moved past the end of the aisle. He then rose and moved toward the rifle. Both Williams and another officer, Sgt. David Darkow, said Crawford rose or tried to rise after he was shot. “He sounded like he was saying something,” Williams said. “At that point, I couldn’t hear anything because I had just fired the shots.” Williams says he was about to fire more shots when Crawford collapsed for a final time, bleeding “profusely,” the officer said. John Crawford III died later that night at Miami Valley Hospital.
(whio.com/news/news/local/officers-describe-moments-before-john-crawford-sho/nhhft/Whio.com, October 14, 2014)

December 16, 2015: John Crawford III’s family files a wrongful death lawsuit on his behalf in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. The complaint names Walmart, the city of Beavercreek, Beavercreek Police Chief Dennis Evers, and the two officers involved in the incident as defendants. (Case No. Case: 3:14-cv-00454-WHR)

May 20, 2015: John Crawford III’s parents and attorney Michael Wright meet with new U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch. The parents are “hopeful, optimistic,” following their meeting.

May 29, 2015: The Cincinnati FBI announces they are working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and will investigate John Crawford III’s shooting.
(wlwt.com/news/cincinnati-fbi-to-review-john-crawford-iii-death/33277686, wlwt.com May 29, 2015)

The Crawford case and the civil rights complaint against the Beavercreek Police Department is still under the review of the Justice Department.

“Comparing that to a lot of these other cases that are going on in the country, John’s case, somewhat, stands by itself…,” Wright said. “And as everyone knows … and everyone saw the video – John was doing absolutely nothing wrong….”

Wright said, “we know what happened in that store, and we still haven’t received the type of justice that we believe this family deserves.”