DETROIT (CBS/AP) A lawyer for the family of 7-year-old Aiyana Jones, who was shot and killed during a police raid at their Detroit home Sunday morning, believes the police operation was flawed and heavily influenced by camera crews who were filming the raid for A&E's crime show "The First 48," according to a published report.
Aiyana was fatally shot early Sunday morning during a raid targeting a homicide suspect, when police say an officer's gun discharged and struck the sleeping girl in the neck.
Detroit police spokesman John Roach confirms that the raid and attempted arrest of a homicide suspect at the two-unit house was being videotaped for an episode of the reality crime-show "The First 48." Roach said investigators are going through the footage to determine what happened, reports The Detroit News.
The Assistant Chief of the Detroit Police Ralph Godbee would not comment on newspaper reports that neighbors told police there were children in the house and showed them toys in the front yard before they threw a flash grenade through the window of the house.
Apparently, the 34-year-old murder suspect the Detroit police were searching for shares the home with Charles Jones, Aiyana's father. However, according to Oak Park attorney Karri Mitchell,"There was nothing but innocent people in the home where they put this flash grenade."
Even though a no-knock search warrant allowed police to search both apartments, Mitchell told The Detroit News the police "were excited; they were on TV...They didn't have to throw a grenade through the front window when they knew there were children in there."
"We're not indicating the officer's actions were intentional," Mitchell told The Detroit News. "We know it was an accident, but the method that they used in executing the search warrant was flawed. The family understands that the officer is not a monster. He didn't intentionally shoot a 7-year-old girl."
No comments:
Post a Comment
What's Your Thoughts?