The family of a Rockford man who last week was shot by a Rockford police officer is calling for a more substantial investigation.
The family of Tyris Jones and their lawyer, Nenye Uche, held a press conference in front of City Hall this week. Uche wants the Winnebago County state’s attorney’s office to conduct a criminal investigation of the officer, Dominik McNiece.
Uche said the public should know if this "is this the first time he's shooting someone in the back." He added, "Has he had other complaints about him against him involving excessive force? Those are the questions that need to be asked."
Uche is also filing a complaint with the FBI, asking for a separate investigation of the shooting.
Rebecca Jackson is Jones’ mother and she is calling for a measured response from the community.
"I just ask that everyone remember that he's innocent until proven guilty," Jackson said. "And no matter what the circumstances were, my son is laying in a hospital bed right now fighting for his life by himself."
Jones is currently in a medically-induced coma and recently underwent surgery.
The press conference comes almost a week after Jones was shot several times in the back and once in the arm by Officer McNiece, while fleeing a traffic stop. Protesters have staged an encampment outside of City Hall since last Saturday.
- Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco is a 2020 corps member for Report for America, an initiative of the GroundTruth Project which is a national service program that places talented journalists in local newsrooms.
