DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — The family of an Army veteran killed by an officer in an emergency room wants to know why less lethal force wasn’t used first.
Police say a Veteran’s Administration Officer shot John Smith Jr. when he pursued a nurse with a knife.
“I just want to know why?” Onnie Smith, John Smith Jr.’s mother, asked during a news conference. “Why did you shoot him all of those times?”
According to a county coroner’s report obtained by Channel 2′s Tom Jones, the officer shot Smith 13 times back in January.
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Smith’s family and Amos King with Justice 4 Veterans wonder why couldn’t the officer use less lethal force.
“Why didn’t they shoot him with a taser? You know, pepper sprayed him?” King asked.
Smith’s family says the Army veteran was suicidal. They say he went to the V.A. hospital for help.
“He was having a breakdown, a mental breakdown,” his sister, LaShun Smith, said.
Officers say Smith put a knife to his throat in the Emergency Room. Then, pursued a nurse with the knife. That’s when the officer shot him more than a dozen times.
“Even though he had the knife or whatever, that didn’t give them... that didn’t justify them shooting him 13 times,” LaShun Smith said.
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Smith’s family wants the hospital to re-train officers on de-escalation and preserving life techniques when it can.
“Maybe to use rubber bullets in the emergency room,” King said.
The family says John Smith Jr. served his country and deserved to get the help he needed. His sister says she used to enjoy fireworks with her brother on the 4th of July. This past 4th was hard on her. “He’s not even here with me,” she said through tears.
The DeKalb District Attorney’s office says after receiving the results of the GBI’s investigation, it will now begin its own investigation, and make a charging decision after that.
The V.A. Director says their sincerest condolences continue to go out to Smith’s family. The hospital was in the process of procuring a state-of-the-art weapons detection system when this happened. It was installed in April.
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