Wilmington NAACP wants transparency in Jeremy McDole investigation

A head of Wilmington's NAACP chapter is calling on state officials to help shed more light on the death of Jeremy McDole, a wheelchair-bound man who was killed by police in September.

Police have said McDole refused their order to raise his hands and instead reached for a weapon, at which time officers opened fire.

On Tuesday, Wilmington Police announced they'd completed their investigation into the death but did not elaborate on the findings. The statement from police came just days after court filings revealed McDole had gunshot residue on his hand and clothing when he was shot. It was the first piece of information released since the incident refuting the family's claim that McDole was not armed.

"The Wilmington Branch NAACP is outraged that elected officials and the Attorney General's office have been very quiet concerning the shooting of Mr. McDole and state elected public safety members have said nothing," Wilmington NAACP Vice President Ken Dryden wrote in a news release issued Wednesday. "The Wilmington Branch NAACP is requesting answers from the Attorney General's Office of Civil Rights, comments from District 3 representative and senator and state public safety persons."

Dryden said the issue is one of transparency. Police reports are not part of the public record in Delaware, and Dryden is hoping his call to action for state officials will get the full report released so the community can compare it side-by-side with the video. The state department of justice wrote Dryden back saying "its investigation will be completed this month and a full and detailed report to the public from DOJ will be released."

Included in his call for transparency, issued by email, were State reps. Valerie Longhurst, Deborah Hudson, Peter Schwartzkopf and Daniel Short. None of the legislators were immediately available for comment.

"We've been left out of the process. We haven't been able to hear anything," Dryden said. "We don't know why they're being so quiet but maybe they haven't been asked."  

STORY: Wilmington Police close McDole investigation; findings not released

STORY: Court documents: McDole had gun residue on his hand

STORY: Family disputes police, says McDole had no gun

VIDEO: Police shoot armed man in Wilmington

McDole, 28, was shot on Sept. 23 by police responding to a 911 call reporting htat a man who had a gun had shot himself.The family is suing the city and the police chief. Court documents said a revolver was found in McDole's underwear with two live rounds.

Much of the public information about the shooting has come from a cellphone video by a bystander that shows one officer pointing a shotgun at Jeremy McDole and screaming "drop the gun." Other officers are later heard screaming "hands up." When he does not comply and reaches to his waist, the officers open fire.

Police said that the officers – three white and one Hispanic – were placed on paid administrative leave while the incident is investigated to determine if they followed proper police procedures. They have not updated their status, though the officers were named for the first time in the city's request for the family's suit to be dismissed.

"The investigation materials and report have been turned over to the Delaware Department of Justice," according to the statement from the police department released Tuesday. "The investigation being conducted by the Department of Justice’s Office of Civil Rights and Public Trust remains ongoing."

Attorney Raeann Warner, an attorney representing the family, said Monday the city is not fully disclosing what happened and accused them of selectively releasing information.

Dryden said he isn't claiming to disbelieve the police, but won't be convinced without the police report.

"We're not going to think that way right now. They have a responsibility to the residents of Delaware," Dryden said.

Contact Adam Duvernay at (302) 324-2785 or aduvernay@delawareonline.com.