Beavercreek detective aggressively questions girlfriend of Jonathan Crawford III. |
There's a video circulating online showing Jonathan Crawford III's girlfriend being grilled by a detective for the Beavercreek police.
Beavercreek, Ohio is a suburb of Dayton. It's located six miles from the Dayton central business district. It's one of the most conservative communities in Ohio. This year, the city came under heavy criticism after an officer involved deadly shooting involving Sean Williams, the officer who put the slugs in Crawford. He along with Sergeant David Darkow both responded to the event on a call of an active shooter.
Crawford was in Walmart buying groceries with his girlfriend. He picked up an opened air rifle and was walking through the aisle. While on the phone he was talking to the mother of his children. He didn't even notice the officers. The officers ordered him to drop the weapon. They claim he didn't reply so Williams shot him from a distance. Crawford was hit twice. He would die on route to hospital.
Crawford's girlfriend Tasha Thomas was in tears after being interviewed by the Rodney Curd, the detective assigned to case.
Officer Curd: 'You and John went into Walmart, at some point as I understand it, John produced a gun. You were with him just moments before that, weren't you?'
Tasha Thomas: Yes, sir
Curd: OK, Tell me where he got the gun from.
Thomas: Sir I don't know - I honestly don't know.
Curd: And the truth is you knew at some point he did carry a gun, isn't it?
Thomas: No sir, I didn't know. I swear I didn't know.
Curd: You see, I'm having trouble with this.
Thomas: [Through tears] Please, give me a lie detector test!
This was being done a few hours after the shooting. This video was released by Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine under the FOIA.
Officer Sean Williams is currently on administrative leave and desk duty after he put the slugs in Crawford after a caller tipped off the police to a man being in a Walmart with a rifle aiming at people. The grand jury found that Williams acted in the right in the shooting and he wasn't charged.
The U.S. Justice Department is investigating if Williams used excessive force.
Williams reacted in the best interest. However, he didn't use proper judgement.
Michael Wright the attorney for Crawford's family has filed a lawsuit against Beavercreek, Walmart, Williams and Darkow. The chief of police for Beavercreek is facing pressure to "retire" in the wake of this controversy.
Another lawsuit is being issued against the city of Beavercreek. Angie Williams was a shopper in the area Walmart. She witnessed the shooting. That gave her a heart attack and she dies on her way to the hospital. Angie is not related to the officer.
Beavercreek also garnered attention after the Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority fought the city for establishing bus stops near the Mall at Fairfield Commons and Soin Medical Center.
Beavercreek city leaders rejected the bus service for ten years. The Department of Justice and Federal Highway Administration warned the city that if they reject the bus one more time, they lose federal funding.
UPDATE: TASHA THOMAS WAS KILLED ON JANUARY 1, 2015 IN A DEADLY CAR ACCIDENT. SHE WAS THE MOTHER OF THREE CHILDREN. WE HERE AT JOURNAL DE LA REYNA SEND OUR CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY OF TASHA THOMAS AND JOHN CRAWFORD III.
This cop should be ashamed of himself. Abuse of power should be punished.
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