Detroit Evening Report: Detroit police commissioners board members demand release of unedited footage of officers fatally shooting Porter Burks
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Members of Detroit’s police oversight board want the department to release un-edited video from the fatal shooting of Porter Burks.
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The 20-year-old was shot by Detroit police last October during a mental health call. Five officers fired 38 rounds at Burks, with several coming from a crisis intervention officer.
The Detroit Board of Police Commissioners reported the video would be released this month, but that has yet to happen.
Police Commissioner Linda Bernard believes there is no excuse for the delay.
“This board needs to vote a resolution to that effect, ordering the Chief to release the [unedited] video,” says Bernard.
A DPD spokesperson says Chief James White will release more video when he is quote “comfortable.”
Detroit police do not routinely share videos from officer-involved shootings but shared some clips from the Burks incident at a press conference a few days after he was killed. Law enforcement has also not shared footage of Ki’Azia Miller, who was also shot during a mental health crisis last year.
Families for both Burks and Miller have filed separate $50 million wrongful death lawsuits against Detroit and the officers involved with the shootings.
Other headlines for May 30, 2023:
- Detroit installing 24 rain gardens in Brightmoor neighborhood
- Community coalition holding town hall on DTE Energy power outages
- Open mic night to raise awareness about Detroit’s high eviction rate
WDET reporter Eli Newman contributed to this story.
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