Weeks after a 41-year-old Peoria man was fatally shot by a Peoria police officer, there remain unanswered questions about all the circumstances surrounding his death.
Here’s a look at what we don’t know – and what we do know – about the Aug. 5 death of Brandon Lewis.
Questions remain after man shot and killed by police
Details about what happened leading up to the shooting remain elusive, with both Peoria police and state police saying very little with the investigation ongoing.
Illinois State Police told the Journal Star on Aug. 21 that video of the encounter exists and it will be released to the public after consulting with the Peoria County State’s Attorney’s Office and allowing it to be viewed by Lewis’ family.
Attempts by the Journal Star to obtain the video from Peoria police via Freedom of Information Act requests were denied.
The Journal Star also attempted to obtain the 911 calls leading up to the incident, a request that was also denied by the department.
Lewis’ mother, Ruby Harris, said in a GoFundMe request that her son had been suffering from mental illness.
On Aug. 18, at a meeting of the Peoria Advisory Committee on Police-Community Relations, Peoria Police Chief Eric Echevarria was asked about the situations when the department’s co-responder unit, designed to deal with situations involving mental health episiodes, would be asked to go to a crime scene.
He deferred comment, saying that the explanation would be too long for the committee’s limited time.
What we know about the fatal shooting
According to the Peoria Police Department, officers responded to the intersection of Northeast Glen Oak Avenue and Prospect Road at 5:15 p.m. on Aug. 5 after receiving a report of a suspicious person.
When they arrived on scene, they found a man – later revealed to be Lewis – armed with a wooden bat. Police said that Lewis began swinging the bat at officers, hitting one of them. One officer deployed their Taser, while another discharged their firearm.
Lewis was taken into custody, but according to police, soon became unresponsive. Emergency medical services began life-saving measures, but Lewis died at the scene.
According to the Peoria County Coroner’s Office, Lewis sustained a single gunshot wound and died moments after he was injured.
The investigation was turned over to Illinois State Police, with the Peoria County State’s Attorney’s Office set to review the findings upon its completion.
On Aug. 7, police announced that the two officers involved in the response to the shooting, Veronica Orozco and Da’Monte Williams, were placed on “critical incident leave” pending the results of the state police investigation.
Email requests regarding how long the officers had been on the force were denied by the department and Illinois State Police.
‘Rather than help my child, they shot him down’
Harris is seeking $2,500 to help with the costs of a memorial for her son through GoFundMe.
She said on the GoFundMe page that her son was “a bright light, always bringing warmth and joy to those around him.” She also said he was a quiet man who found peace in things like sitting outside, taking walks and enjoying the world around him.
Harris criticized police for their actions, saying that Lewis needed help for his mental health issues.
“Brandon was shot and killed by police while he was battling mental illness,” Harris said. “Rather than help my child, they shot him down. He didn’t deserve for his life to end the way it has. He was a person who mattered. A very loved son, brother, uncle and friend to many.”
When contacted Aug. 21 by the Journal Star, Harris declined comment, referring the Journal Star to the family’s attorney, noted civil rights advocate Ben Crump. The Journal Star contacted Crump’s office via email, but as of Aug. 22 had not received a response.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Mother says Peoria police shot her son rather than deal with his mental illness
Reporting by Zach Roth, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
