By LETRE SWEETING
Tribune Staff Reporter
lsweeting@tribunemedia.net
THE family of a man police killed in 2021 say they have spent over $40,000 investigating the shooting death.
Among their purchases is a report from a US-based ballistics expert contradicting a key claim police made the night Azario Major was killed.
Dr Richard Pumerantz, whose business is identified as Guns & Ammo Witness, said: “The account given in the police memorandum does not match with the evidence of the vehicle and the deceased body. The police memorandum states ‘as the deceased opened the driver door he produced a black hand gun pointing it at the officers. These officers being in fear for their lives, produced their police-issued pistols and opened fire on the male injuring him fatally.’ The evidence shows that the victim did not open the door and produce a firearm because the driver side was closed when the first shots were fired.
“It can be concluded, therefore, this incident has more the appearance of an intentional shooting, than it does a case of self-defense.”
The case is expected come before the Coroner’s Court next month. The lawyer for Azario’s family is expected to argue that Azario had a personal relationship with the officer who shot him.
Frederick Major, father of the victim, and Fredia Major, the victim’s sister, told The Tribune yesterday they have paid an exorbitant amount of money to investigate the matter.
The expenses cover legal fees, the ballistics report and storage for the vehicle where Azario was shot.
Dr Pumenratz’ said his report evaluated available evidence, including the vehicle driven on the night of the incident by the victim, photos of the deceased’s body, the incident scene, and the police memorandum.
The report said: “This report concludes that to a reasonable degree of scientific probability, the victim was shot multiple times at close range while still in the vehicle.
“The initial shot was most likely taken by a shooter standing directly next to the driver-side door, while it was closed. It is further concluded that multiple shots were additionally fired by more than one shooter from at least one other position after the driver-side door was opened to at least two different angles.
The family also obtained video footage of the incident from a nearby store. They sent the footage to the United States to be lightened.
Early in the video, Azario is seen conversing with the officer who would later shoot him. As the video progresses, the various characters, including Azario and multiple officers outside a bar, grow visibly tense and animated.
Eventually, multiple officers surround Azario’s car before killing him.
Mr Major said the video and other evidence shows Azarion was shot four times in his head and 26 times about the body, with 15 shots missing him.
The family said Azario’s mother has been mentally destabilised since the death of her son.
“Mommy is crying every day. But the first four months were unbearable,” Ms Major said.
“Anytime she heard the news, she would lose it and loop back to the day he died. She would be hallucinating that it just happened, every Sunday. We had to keep her from walking the street trying to get to the scene, because the scene is down the street.
“She would actually lose it and say, ‘Azario just got shot,’ and we have to stop her from walking the street.
“We couldn’t have an open coffin, because the funeral home couldn’t do anything for his (Azario’s) head. So, we had to cremate him. And then she couldn’t see him, she couldn’t be involved in the decision of cremating him, because she can’t take it.”
More like this story
- Expert questions number of shooters in Azario hearing
- ‘JUST ONE OFFICER SHOT AZARIO DEAD’ – but ballistics expert does not explain bullet casings found at scene
- FAMILY ‘VINDICATED’: AZARIO DEATH RULED HOMICIDE – Brother says ‘at least for tonight my family can have peace’
- OFFICER TELLS OF AZARIO SHOOTING: Police witness said an officer yelled ‘he has a gun’ before they fired on him
- MYSTERY OVER PHONE IN AZARIO SHOOTING: Father tells of shock at seeing dead son’s face
Comments
hrysippus 1 year, 4 months ago
If you do a google search; how many people are sociopathic?, the consensus seems to be about 3% of any given population. The police force in this country has 3,000 officers. And 3% of that number gives 90. Being a sociopath is very rarely a problem to others in society. Being a sociopath who is legally armed and can kill people without consequence may be a problem. We have seen this problem manifested many times in the police forces in the US, The London Metropolitan Police force just arrested one of their own for his long career as a serial rapist. We have very little checks on police behaviour but the country badly needs same IMO.
ThisIsOurs 1 year, 4 months ago
"The initial shot was most likely taken by a shooter standing directly next to the driver-side door, while it was closed. It is further concluded that multiple shots were additionally fired by more than one shooter from at least one other position after the driver-side door was opened to at least two different angles."
These are the type of intelligent people we need on the police force. We don't need more busy work saturation patrols and more cars. We need brain power or brains as we say.
If this was just anger acting out I hope someone speaks up. Would be a very dangerous individual walking around with a legal license to kill
birdiestrachan 1 year, 4 months ago
They and they alone know their pain, it is not easy ,
ThisIsOurs 1 year, 4 months ago
"It is further concluded that multiple shots were additionally fired by more than one shooter from at least one other position after the driver-side door was opened to at least two different angles."
This is the most disturbing part of the account. It implies that shots were either fired after the man was dead to support the story submitted or, horrifically, to kill the individual after he was already severely wounded.
John 1 year, 4 months ago
As soon as video surfaced that contradicted the police report of the incident and furthermore indicates that this was not a regular police stop but something personal and had escalated to the point where police drew his service weapon and headshot the victim. And this was followed by a barrage of bullets ( at least 36) from other officers, they all should have been arrested and charged with first degree murder! . . Some may say this is police bashing and being anti-law enforcement , but a corrupt police officer who is using his job to settle personal scores and his service weapon to commit murder, is more dangerous than any criminal on the street. And a police organization that is not willing to police its own officers and a gang of other police who are willing to participate in illegal and dirty deeds, murder, by a fellow police officer must not be tolerated in the least. Officers cannot commit crime to patrol crime or vomit crimes whilst being law enforcement officers. Making police officers accountable, alone will put a dent in crime.
Commenting has been disabled for this item.