Release the body cam footage of police shooting Michael to death!
- by: Chelsea Koenig
- recipient: Harrisonburg PD/Harrisonburg county
Michael Pierce Jr. was a young, brave, smart, and well-loved man. He was one of my closest friends - the kind of friend that comes into your life once in a lifetime. He helped anyone if he could. Even if someone had done wrong to him, he would stand up for what's right, no matter what. The night Michael was shot and killed by police, he was doing just that.
On September 20th, 2015, there was a disturbance at one of Michael's neighbors. A woman was being attacked by her husband and, being the man Michael was, he couldn't sit by and watch her being beaten. He went over to try to help, but was attacked by five men. He then returned home with every intention of staying there.
That's when Michael and his girlfriend realized his phone was left at the scene. He returned to retrieve the phone out of the yard, and took a shotgun with him for protection. Upon his arrival, the police showed up.
I don't know for sure what happened next because the only footage that police have shown Michael's family and friends came from the body camera of an officer who was standing far away from the shooting. We can hear on the footage that police shouted for Michael to put the gun down, then move away from the gun. This was followed by warning that they would shoot him and they would kill him. Then there were shouts, "he's moving, he's moving." Then pop pop pop pop. The footage only shows Michael after he was dead on the ground.
There are a lot of holes in the story the police told us about what happened that night. We were told that the police talked to Michael for 24 minutes, and that he did not comply with 40 demands to put down his gun. Knowing Michael, I find it very hard to believe that he wouldn't have done what the police told him to do. And although police claim that Michael ran, a neighbor said he was walking away. Police also claim that Michael took a military defending stance, aimed and then fired at police. Michael was never in the military and I haven't seen any video footage that shows him taking aim. The footage we have been shown has sounds of small firearm shots, but not a shotgun.
There are just so many doubts and questions, and Michael's friends and family just want to know the truth about what happened. If he was at fault, we will accept it and walk away, but the story that the police have given us just doesn't add up. Please sign this petition to demand that the Harrisonburg Police Department release all of the body cam footage from that night. Help us get the answers we deserve. We just want the truth, we want #justiceforbigcountry.
On September 20th, 2015, there was a disturbance at one of Michael's neighbors. A woman was being attacked by her husband and, being the man Michael was, he couldn't sit by and watch her being beaten. He went over to try to help, but was attacked by five men. He then returned home with every intention of staying there.
That's when Michael and his girlfriend realized his phone was left at the scene. He returned to retrieve the phone out of the yard, and took a shotgun with him for protection. Upon his arrival, the police showed up.
I don't know for sure what happened next because the only footage that police have shown Michael's family and friends came from the body camera of an officer who was standing far away from the shooting. We can hear on the footage that police shouted for Michael to put the gun down, then move away from the gun. This was followed by warning that they would shoot him and they would kill him. Then there were shouts, "he's moving, he's moving." Then pop pop pop pop. The footage only shows Michael after he was dead on the ground.
There are a lot of holes in the story the police told us about what happened that night. We were told that the police talked to Michael for 24 minutes, and that he did not comply with 40 demands to put down his gun. Knowing Michael, I find it very hard to believe that he wouldn't have done what the police told him to do. And although police claim that Michael ran, a neighbor said he was walking away. Police also claim that Michael took a military defending stance, aimed and then fired at police. Michael was never in the military and I haven't seen any video footage that shows him taking aim. The footage we have been shown has sounds of small firearm shots, but not a shotgun.
There are just so many doubts and questions, and Michael's friends and family just want to know the truth about what happened. If he was at fault, we will accept it and walk away, but the story that the police have given us just doesn't add up. Please sign this petition to demand that the Harrisonburg Police Department release all of the body cam footage from that night. Help us get the answers we deserve. We just want the truth, we want #justiceforbigcountry.
Michael Pierce Jr. was a young, brave, smart, and well-loved man. He was the kind of friend that comes into your life once in a lifetime. He helped anyone if he could. Even if someone had done wrong to him, he would stand up for what's right, no matter what. The night Michael was shot and killed by police, he was doing just that.
On September 20th, 2015, there was a disturbance at one of Michael's neighbors. A woman was being attacked by her husband and, being the man Michael was, he couldn't sit by and watch her being beaten. He went over to try to help, but was attacked by five men. He then returned home with every intention of staying there.
That's when Michael and his girlfriend realized his phone was left at the scene. He returned to retrieve the phone out of the yard, and took a shotgun with him for protection. Upon his arrival, the police showed up.
We don't know for sure what happened next because the only footage that police have shown Michael's family and friends came from the body camera of an officer who was standing far away from the shooting. We can hear on the footage that police shouted for Michael to put the gun down, then move away from the gun. This was followed by warning that they would shoot him and they would kill him. Then there were shouts, "he's moving, he's moving." Then pop pop pop pop. The footage only shows Michael after he was dead on the ground.
There are seem to be a lot of holes in the official police account of what happened that night. We have been told that you talked to Michael for 24 minutes, and that he did not comply with 40 demands to put down his gun. Michael's friends and family find it very hard to believe that he wouldn't have done what the police on the scene told him to do. And although you claim that Michael ran, a neighbor said he was walking away. you also claim that Michael took a military defending stance, aimed and then fired at police officers. Michael was never in the military and we haven't seen any video footage that shows him taking aim. The footage we have been shown has sounds of small firearm shots, but not a shotgun.
There are just so many doubts and questions, and Michael's friends and family just want to know the truth about what happened. If he was at fault, we will accept it and walk away, but the story that you have given us just doesn't add up. Please release all of the body cam footage from that night. We just want the truth, we want #justiceforbigcountry.
Sign PetitionSign PetitionOn September 20th, 2015, there was a disturbance at one of Michael's neighbors. A woman was being attacked by her husband and, being the man Michael was, he couldn't sit by and watch her being beaten. He went over to try to help, but was attacked by five men. He then returned home with every intention of staying there.
That's when Michael and his girlfriend realized his phone was left at the scene. He returned to retrieve the phone out of the yard, and took a shotgun with him for protection. Upon his arrival, the police showed up.
We don't know for sure what happened next because the only footage that police have shown Michael's family and friends came from the body camera of an officer who was standing far away from the shooting. We can hear on the footage that police shouted for Michael to put the gun down, then move away from the gun. This was followed by warning that they would shoot him and they would kill him. Then there were shouts, "he's moving, he's moving." Then pop pop pop pop. The footage only shows Michael after he was dead on the ground.
There are seem to be a lot of holes in the official police account of what happened that night. We have been told that you talked to Michael for 24 minutes, and that he did not comply with 40 demands to put down his gun. Michael's friends and family find it very hard to believe that he wouldn't have done what the police on the scene told him to do. And although you claim that Michael ran, a neighbor said he was walking away. you also claim that Michael took a military defending stance, aimed and then fired at police officers. Michael was never in the military and we haven't seen any video footage that shows him taking aim. The footage we have been shown has sounds of small firearm shots, but not a shotgun.
There are just so many doubts and questions, and Michael's friends and family just want to know the truth about what happened. If he was at fault, we will accept it and walk away, but the story that you have given us just doesn't add up. Please release all of the body cam footage from that night. We just want the truth, we want #justiceforbigcountry.
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