On Wednesday, the U.S. Justice Department's Civil Rights Division said it will work with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's office for Southern Ohio on an "independent review of the facts and circumstances" surrounding the shooting death of a black man inside of a Walmart.
The announcement came hours after a grand jury voted not to indict the white police officer who shot 22-year-old John Crawford III inside of the Beavercreek store, NBC News reports. The request for the review came from the city of Beavercreek.
On Aug. 5, a man called 911 from inside the Walmart, telling an operator that a man with a rifle was in the store and pointing the weapon at shoppers. Police say that when the officers arrived, they asked Crawford to drop the gun; when he didn't, he was shot by one of the officers. Crawford, whose family said he was shopping for a cookout, was found to be carrying a pellet gun that he had picked up from the sporting goods section of the store.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Following the grand jury's decision, Crawford's family released a statement, saying: "It makes absolutely no sense than an unarmed 22-year-old man would be killed doing what any American citizen does every day: shopping at a Walmart store. The Crawford family is extremely disappointed, disgusted, and confused. They are heartbroken that justice was not done in the tragic death of their only son."
Watch the video by WHIO.com below to see surveillance footage synchronized with the 911 call. Because the footage shows Crawford being shot, viewer discretion is advised. --Catherine Garcia
-
5 thin-skinned cartoons about shooting the messengerCartoons Artists take on unfavorable weather, a look in the mirror, and more
-
Is Trump's new peacemaking model working in DR Congo?Talking Point Truce brokered by the US president in June is holding, but foundations of a long-term peace have let to be laid
-
A tour of southern GreenlandThe Week Recommends New international airport has given this 'bucolic' island a welcome boost
-
Australian woman found guilty of mushroom murdersspeed read Erin Patterson murdered three of her ex-husband's relatives by serving them toxic death cap mushrooms
-
Combs convicted on 2 of 5 charges, denied bailSpeed Read Sean 'Diddy' Combs was acquitted of the more serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking
-
Sniper kills 2 Idaho firefighters in ambushSpeed Read A man started a wildfire, then fired a rifle at first responders when they arrived
-
Weinstein convicted of sex crime in retrialSpeed Read The New York jury delivered a mixed and partial verdict at the disgraced Hollywood producer's retrial
-
'King of the Hill' actor shot dead outside homespeed read Jonathan Joss was fatally shot by a neighbor who was 'yelling violent homophobic slurs,' says his husband
-
DOJ, Boulder police outline attacker's confessionspeed read Mohamed Sabry Soliman planned the attack for a year and 'wanted them all to die'
-
Assailant burns Jewish pedestrians in Boulderspeed read Eight people from the Jewish group were hospitalized after a man threw Molotov cocktails in a 'targeted act of violence'
-
Driver rams van into crowd at Liverpool FC paradespeed read 27 people were hospitalized following the attack
