Kent County issued the following announcement on April 9.
We appreciate comments from concerned residents requesting that all body-worn camera footage from the Grand Rapids Police Department officer-involved shooting be publicly released. This tragic incident did not involve a law enforcement agency under the jurisdiction of Kent County; therefore, we have no legal authority to require the release of the video footage.
The Kent County Prosecutor, whose role it is to collect and preserve evidence in this matter, has an ethical duty to maintain the Constitutional and legal rights of all parties involved. On Thursday, he released a statement affirming that the office has one goal in mind: the pursuit of the truth. To that end, he asked that, to maintain the integrity of the investigation, “involved police agencies do not release any evidence until the investigation is complete.”
The Prosecutor spoke with Fox 17 to further explain why he asked that the video not be shared with the public at this time.
One of the main challenges for law enforcement and judicial officers in a moment like this is to respect the public’s right to know while maintaining the integrity of an investigation. We ask for the community’s patience while this complex, sensitive and important investigation is completed.
Original source can be found here.
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