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.
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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
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