[ad_1]
LAKEWOOD, Colo. (KDVR) — A Lakewood City Council member has been on a monthslong mission to get information about a police shooting back in March that left a 17-year-old dead.
Council Member Anita Springsteen wants answers after multiple police officers shot and killed the teen, who was accused of robbing a mail carrier.
But after Springsteen read an autopsy report for the teen, she had questions about what happened that day.
“Whether I could have bodycam footage, just to see what transpired,” Springsteen said.
It all stems from an incident where 17-year-old Mariana Martinez was shot multiple times by multiple officers on March 27.
At the time, police said the teen fired at them, prompting them to fire back. Another teen was arrested in connection with that crime.
Teen’s autopsy raises questions in police shooting
According to Springsteen, the autopsy report “did also confirm that the investigation had shown that this young lady did not fire her weapon.”
Police at the time said Martinez fired at them, but they clarified the next day that she pointed the gun at them. Springsteen wants to know what actually happened.
“It always seems that there are hoops to jump through,” Springsteen said. “There are roadblocks put in the way.”
Springsteen alluded to another shooting involving a teen and a weapon over the summer.
“I was seeing information on the shooting of a teen in Aurora, in June, and the bodycam footage came out the same week,” Springsteen said.
Lakewood police shooting under investigation
The incident in Lakewood has been under investigation by the Critical Incident Response Team, which is the protocol for any use of deadly force by an officer in Jefferson County.
“As an elected official, it’s my duty to my constituents that people are being protected, that people in city government and on the police force are telling the truth,” Springsteen said. “That’s all I want to know. I’m not accusing anybody of anything, I’m not saying that the police did anything wrong.”
FOX31 learned on Friday the CIRT investigation has concluded. That investigation is now in the hands of the First Judicial District attorney.
FOX31 submitted a request for the body camera video back in March. That request was denied. The request was made again on Friday. Police have 24-48 hours to respond.
[ad_2]
