The Tribune

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.”