RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KTLA) -- Family members of a man shot by police as he ran away from a pursuit are speaking out Saturday, wondering why no information has been released on why the shooting was necessary.
Officers wounded Michael Charles Easley, 22, of Los Angeles when they shot him several times when the pursuit ended near the intersection of 10th Street and Ottawa Avenue.
Riverside Police officers tried to pull Easley over about 8:15 p.m. Thursday for a traffic violation while he was driving near the intersection of 12th Street and Chicago Avenue near the University of California Riverside campus, said Sgt. David Amador. Easley, a parolee, allegedly sped away after the officers signaled for him to pull over.
Police chased Easley for about two blocks until he abandoned his car near a business and ran away on foot.
While he ran, the officers opened fire.
"The actions of the suspect caused the officer to fear for his life and he fired his weapon," Amador said.
But when asked what made the officer fearful enough to shoot, Amador could not answer.
"I don't know the specifics of what he did," he said.
Now attorney Garo Mardirosian, who is representing Easley's family, held a news conference Saturday raising issue with the fact that police have not released information about why they shot Easley, saying he was not committing a crime when he was pulled over.
"When he was moving away from the car, officers opened fire, shot him in the back and left him for dead," Mardirosian said.
Easley's wife, Stephanie Session, was also in the car at the time of the shooting. The couple just got married on Dec. 7.
"Police officers brought him up [to his wife], lifted up his sweater in front of her and said 'he's dead,'" Mardirosian said.
They later learned that he was still alive and was transported to a local hospital, though the extent of his injuries are unknown.
Mardirosian also says Easley is still inside Riverside Community Hospital's jail ward where family members are not allowed to see him. His family fears he may have spinal cord damage.
"The family is just torn apart about this," he said. "Why [they] can't see him, speak to him, and at the very least speak with medical doctors about his condition."
"It's Christmastime. His wife, his mom, they deserve some answers."
Police say Easley will be booked on suspicion of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and parole violations as soon he is released from the hospital.
Session, 22, of Beaumont, was also arrested on suspicion of evading a police officer and resisting arrest. She was later released.
Officers wounded Michael Charles Easley, 22, of Los Angeles when they shot him several times when the pursuit ended near the intersection of 10th Street and Ottawa Avenue.
Riverside Police officers tried to pull Easley over about 8:15 p.m. Thursday for a traffic violation while he was driving near the intersection of 12th Street and Chicago Avenue near the University of California Riverside campus, said Sgt. David Amador. Easley, a parolee, allegedly sped away after the officers signaled for him to pull over.
Police chased Easley for about two blocks until he abandoned his car near a business and ran away on foot.
While he ran, the officers opened fire.
"The actions of the suspect caused the officer to fear for his life and he fired his weapon," Amador said.
But when asked what made the officer fearful enough to shoot, Amador could not answer.
"I don't know the specifics of what he did," he said.
Now attorney Garo Mardirosian, who is representing Easley's family, held a news conference Saturday raising issue with the fact that police have not released information about why they shot Easley, saying he was not committing a crime when he was pulled over.
"When he was moving away from the car, officers opened fire, shot him in the back and left him for dead," Mardirosian said.
Easley's wife, Stephanie Session, was also in the car at the time of the shooting. The couple just got married on Dec. 7.
"Police officers brought him up [to his wife], lifted up his sweater in front of her and said 'he's dead,'" Mardirosian said.
They later learned that he was still alive and was transported to a local hospital, though the extent of his injuries are unknown.
Mardirosian also says Easley is still inside Riverside Community Hospital's jail ward where family members are not allowed to see him. His family fears he may have spinal cord damage.
"The family is just torn apart about this," he said. "Why [they] can't see him, speak to him, and at the very least speak with medical doctors about his condition."
"It's Christmastime. His wife, his mom, they deserve some answers."
Police say Easley will be booked on suspicion of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and parole violations as soon he is released from the hospital.
Session, 22, of Beaumont, was also arrested on suspicion of evading a police officer and resisting arrest. She was later released.
