PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The attorney for the family of the man fatally shot by the FBI last week is calling for transparency as the investigation into what happened continues.
Paul Hetznecker represents the family of Tahiem Weeks-Cook, the 22-year-old who was shot in the chest, stomach and leg as he tried to run from FBI agents on Friday, and who died on Sunday.
“The family is devastated. They want answers. They want to know why this happened the way it did,” Hetznecker said.
He says his investigation shows the man was unarmed, and there is no justification under the law for shooting someone who is unarmed.
“In our society, we must hold law enforcement to a high standard when they are employing force,” Hetznecker said.
Weeks-Cook was one of three suspects wanted in connection with a series of armed robberies at Philadelphia-area 7-Elevens, but Hetznecker says that doesn’t matter — there is a standard of how to serve an arrest warrant.
“Clearly and unfortunately, in this situation, if law enforcement agents were following standard use of force protocol that is universally accepted by all law enforcement agencies, this young man would be alive. They didn’t do that.”
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Investigators from the FBI are also combing through the evidence to determine whether their agents followed protocol. The information will then be given to District Attorney Larry Krasner to determine whether the shooting was justified.
“It is a collaborative effort, in a sense, but our reason to be there is so that there can be an independent determination that does not come within the entity that employs the person that discharges the firearm,” Krasner said Tuesday.
“Obviously we may have some follow-up, we may have some additional investigation. We may do that with them or independently, both of those things are possible.”
The decision whether or not to charge the agent or agents responsible is in his hands.
“I would say with any officer involved shooting, there is always a chance that criminal charges might result. There’s also a chance the law enforcement officer might be cleared,” Krasner said.
“We do expect this investigation to be very vigorous, and we expect to know a lot more in the next two weeks, possibly as early as a week.”
Hetznecker said the family is planning a funeral service for Weeks-Cook.
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