DENVER – Gov. Jared Polis said he won’t order an independent investigation into the case of a black teenager who was fatally shot during a foot chase with Colorado Springs police.
The Colorado Sun reported Thursday that Polis’ decision comes a week after a grand jury determined two officers were justified when they shot 19-year-old De’Von Bailey multiple times in the back Aug. 3. The governor had called for an independent review but stopped short of ordering Attorney General Phil Weiser to investigate.
The governor said he instead wants to work with lawmakers to examine how the state handles officer-involved shootings.
Officers were talking to Bailey about a nearby armed robbery when he ran away as he was about to be searched. He was shot after putting his hands near his waistband, and police said they found a gun in his shorts.
