Community demands accountability for Denver LoDo shooting
Six bystanders are recovering after being wounded by Denver Police officers when they fired into a crowd over the weekend. Residents gathered outside the State Capitol Thursday to protest their actions, while demanding answers and accountability.
Residents like Jennie Szunskie, who live downtown, are disappointed with DPD's actions and their response.
"[DPD] didn't even tell the victims that it was the police who shot them. They didn't take accountability," Szunskie said. "We shouldn't be having another mass shooting, caused by the police, with no answers."
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Denver Councilwoman At Large Robin Kniech released a statement saying in part:
"I am concerned that our city's calls to patiently wait for an investigation could be perceived as conflicting with DPD statements defending the officers' actions long before those investigations are complete, and the full body of evidence is released to the public. Our priority as a city must be an objective investigation and accountability to our community."
She told CBS4's Tori Mason that Denver must continually improve policing, so this doesn't happen again.
"When an incident like this occurs, our top priority must be to be accountablem," Kniech said. "That is not just for the victims who've already been harmed, but for us to ensure that we learn and do not have the same incident occurring in the future.
If answers aren't provided soon, Kniech says she believes the department could, "undermine the trust of the community even further than it's already been shaken by this incident."
Colorado law says the video must be released within 21 days from the date of the complaint of misconduct
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"I'm really appreciative of our legislators for their commitment to making sure that all departments across the state have to release this footage quickly," Kniech said. "But that is a deadline, we could be releasing it sooner. I urge us to release it as quickly as we can.
An independent monitor outside of DPD will investigate the shooting. The OIM will provide its own independent assessment of the investigation into whether officers violated any policies, and if changes to DPD policy or training could help prevent a similar incident in the future.
