Family speaks out on rare double deadly police involved shooting
Silent for several days we are now hearing from the family of one of the two men shot and killed by Omaha police earlier this month.
The rare double deadly police-involved shooting finds initial examinations by police and prosecutors clearing the officers of any wrongdoing.
The next step is a grand jury investigation and the family is demanding answers.
[View our exclusive report and full video above]
[Gunshot sound]
That according to police: 22 gunshots, the first fired into a crowd by the driver, one of two Hispanic men seen climbing into the car just moments earlier, armed with one and only one gun.
The next 21 shots, killing the two men, were fired by two off duty Omaha police officers.
Police Chief Todd Schmaderer, Omaha Police Department: “I find the shooting to be within our policy. The county attorney has determined that the shooting was legally justified."
Lizeth Aracely Rosales Carrera, Aunt of the passenger: “There, it is up to the authorities and the community to see if it was fair.”
That’s the aunt of 28-year-old Jonathan Hernandez-Rosales, the passenger, the man who didn’t have a gun, wondering if her nephew had to die.
Lizeth Aracely Rosales Carrera, Aunt of the passenger: “I want the community to really judge, based on the images, whether that was fair, how they acted by firing 21 shots.”
Schmaderer has not specifically said why 21 shots were fired but has answered a somewhat related question:
Chief Schmaderer: "How did two people die but only one gun was recovered? The driver’s act of leaning over the passenger to fire out of the passenger window gave the distinct impression to Captain Leavitt that the passenger had a gun.”
Questions surrounding the shooting are also being raised by the League of United Latin American Citizens insisting, “The Omaha Police Department’s blatant attempt to vilify the character of the deceased Latinos is an affront to justice.” LULAC demanding a full federal investigation.
Jonathon Hernandez’s aunt agrees.
Lizeth Aracely Rosales Carrera: “I also ask the community that was there and who observed everything, because there were a lot of people, that they can give the best information so this can be clarified.”
While cleared of any wrongdoing by police and prosecutors, according to state law a grand jury will investigate.