The U.S. Department of Justice has agreed to conduct an “thorough and independent review” of the
fatal police shooting of John Crawford III by police in a Beavercreek Wal-Mart.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern
District of Ohio and FBI will conduct the inquiry.
The agencies said they will “conduct a thorough and independent review of the evidence and
take appropriate action if the evidence indicates a prosecutable violation of federal criminal
civil rights statutes.”
An Ohio grand jury found officers’ actions were justified in last month’s fatal shooting of
Crawford, a special prosecutor said today.
Special Prosecutor Mark Piepmeier said the Greene County grand jury in Xenia opted not to
issue any indictments in the Aug. 5 death of 22-year-old Crawford.
A 911 caller reported Crawford was waving what appeared to be a rifle in the store. Police
said he didn’t obey commands to put down what turned out to be an air rifle his family said he had
taken off a store shelf.
Crawford’s family says the portion of store surveillance footage they saw shows Crawford on
his cellphone and holding the air rifle. An attorney for the family didn’t immediately return a
call seeking comment on the grand jury’s decision.
The Crawford family says the shooting was not justified
and want federal authorities to investigate whether race was a factor. Crawford
was black, the officers are white.
Attorney General Mike DeWine said, “Now that the state criminal investigation has finished,
it is an appropriate time for the United States Department of Justice to look into whether any
federal laws were violated during this shooting. BCI has been in frequent contact with the FBI and
the United States Attorney’s Office throughout its investigation and will turn over requested
investigative files to the Department of Justice.”
Gov. John Kasich weighed in also, saying, “After talking with the Attorney General and watching
the video myself, I agree with his decision that a review by the U.S. Department of Justice is
appropriate. This is a tragedy for the Crawford family and I share the concern of many in the
community that this matter must be handled with the utmost seriousness and respect. I’ve consulted
with local leaders, including leaders in the African American community, and I applaud the example
they have set of calm, restraint and patience.”
Crawford’s family has repeatedly asked state investigators to release the surveillance video
publicly, and Facebook groups and online petitions have also pushed for the release.
Crawford’s supporters say the public has a right to know what happened. The president of the
Ohio Legislative Black Caucus and the Rev. Al Sharpton’s civil rights group National Action Network
are among those who have called for the tape’s release.
But DeWine refused to release the video, saying it could compromise the
investigation and taint a potential jury pool.
Wal-Mart customer Angela Williams, 37, also died after suffering a medical problem during the
store’s evacuation.
