Family Of Jeffrey Dennis Killed In Officer-Involved Shooting Meets With Police Commissioner
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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — In tears and in pain, the family of Jeffrey Dennis left Philadelphia Police headquarters visibly upset Thursday morning.
The family, along with their attorney, met with Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross for more than an hour, trying to understand what happened Monday afternoon.
Family Lawyer Raising Concerns About Deadly Police-Involved Shooting In Tacony
That afternoon, Dennis, a father of three, was killed on Hegerman Street by Princeton Avenue in the Tacony section of Philadelphia by a plainclothes police officer.
"Transparency in these investigations are very important, so an ongoing relation we're gonna ask that we be given access and that the family be involved in the process. They are victims in this and it's very important to them," said Lee Merritt, the family's attorney.
Police say undercover officers were serving a warrant for drug offenses at Dennis' home on Cottage Street when they discovered his black Toyota Camry nearby and boxed it in.
Three officers then started walking up to the car, telling Dennis to turn the engine. Instead, police say Dennis began crashing into an unmarked police cruiser. An officer, now identified as 29-year-old Richard Nicoletti, then drew his gun and opened fire, killing Dennis.
"I know they're not happy that they took a life out there that day, but I can tell you they were doing a job protecting the community," explained John McNesby, president of the Philadelphia Police Union.
Internal Affairs Division Will Investigate Deadly Police-Involved Shooting In Tacony
On Thursday, McNesby urged the victim's family to allow authorities to complete their investigation into the shooting. However, he also says while Dennis was not armed with a gun, he used his car as a weapon.
"They didn't put themselves in that position, the gentleman that's no longer with us did," added McNesby.
Police tell Eyewitness News at least three security cameras captured the entire shooting. Now, the state attorney general's office is investigating the matter after Philadelphia's district attorney removed himself due to a conflict of interest.