The crowd — some holding signs — called for the release of Walmart’s surveillance video that shows a Beavercreek police officer shooting customer John Crawford III as he stood in a store aisle.
Crawford died of a gunshot wound to the torso after Beavercreek police said he twice didn’t respond to commands to drop a weapon after a 911 caller thought it was real and he was going to commit a crime. Crawford’s parents said their son was there to shop.
The Ohio Attorney General’s office later determined Crawford was carrying an MK-177 (.177 caliber) Crosman airgun rifle BB/pellet gun he had picked up minutes earlier from a shelf inside Walmart. Witnesses said Crawford was talking on his cell phone when the shooting happened.
A 911 caller said he saw a black man waving a rifle-type gun at customers, including children. That prompted Beavercreek police to respond to Walmart in about three minutes.
Attorney General Mike DeWine has not released the Walmart surveillance video to the public, citing that it would not be in the interest of justice if the video was released before it was seen by a grand jury.
A special Greene County grand jury is scheduled to hear evidence Sept. 22 presented by special prosecutor Mark Piepmeier from the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s office. Piepmeier will convene the hearings to determine if grand jurors believe there is probable cause that Beavercreek police officer Sean Williams, Sgt. David Darkow or anyone else committed a crime. Beavercreek officials have said Williams remains on administrative leave while Darkow is back at work.
Rally speakers said releasing the video will clear up questions about the shooting.
“If they did wrong, show us them doing wrong. If they did right, show us them doing right, but let the truth come forth,” said Bobby Hilton, president of the Greater Cincinnati Chapter of the National Action Network.
Hilton was accompanied by other network members and representatives of Crawford’s family, the Dayton Unit NAACP, Nation of Islam, The Adam Project, State Rep. Alicia Reece (D-Cincinnati), Joel King Jr. of Columbus, cousin to the late Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and other community activists.
Hilton also announced Saturday that the Rev. Al Sharpton, civil rights activist and the president of the National Action Network, will be in the Beavercreek area on Sept. 18.
Several speakers at the rally accused DeWine of reversing an earlier statement that he’d release the footage to the public.
Derrick Foward, president of the Dayton Unit NAACP, told the crowd that DeWine told him in a meeting that he would release the video, but then went back on his word.
DeWine reiterated Saturday that his decision is centered around ensuring fair court proceedings related to the shooting.
“I think that we have a responsibility to ensure that if there is an indictment that there is a fair trial,” he said. “We based our decisions on what thought was required under Ohio law.”
In an earlier interview, DeWine said he thought there was a possibility the video would be released but after more careful consideration and discussion with prosecuting attorneys his office decided against it.
Reece, who also is the president of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus, said she sent a letter to DeWine on the caucus’s behalf that asked the attorney general to release the surveillance video.
“We’ve also asked him to allow the federal government to come in and investigate this case to restore confidence in the system,” Reece said.
A second rally is planned for 4 p.m. today at the Beavercreek Walmart for supporters of the Beavercreek police.
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