Vigil Planned For Man Killed By Arlington Police Officer
Follow CBSDFW.COM: Facebook | Twitter
ARLINGTON (CBSDFW.COM) - Members from the Next Generation Action Network are holding a vigil on Tuesday night to remember Tavis Crane, the man who was shot and killed by an Arlington police officer last week. The incident happened as another police officer was run over by Crane's vehicle.
Authorities have insisted that the shooting was justified, but passengers inside of Crane's car tell a different story.
This all started with a traffic stop late Wednesday night, where police attempted to apprehend Crane on a warrant for evading arrest. It was then, officials explained, that Crane drove over Elise Bowden, a 14-year veteran with the force, sending her to the hospital with multiple broken bones.
Police video shows Crane reversing and hitting Bowden, then driving forward and over her again.
When the 23-year-old suspect had refused to exit from his vehicle, officer Craig Roper entered through a back passenger door, shooting at Crane as he tried to speed away from the scene. Other people were also inside of the car -- Crane's best friend, his pregnant girlfriend and his 2-year-old daughter. None of them were injured.
Those witnesses have said that the events happened differently from what authorities are claiming. According to their lawyer, Crane was trying to stop his car when he was shot. The Next Generation Action Network has explained that the vehicle rolled forward as he was slumped over. "To the extent that it was a necessary killing, they are willing to accept that," said lawyer Lee Merritt. "They just want to be able to arrive at the truth."
The Next Generation Action Network is now calling for transparency in the investigation. There is no body camera footage for this case, but there is dashboard camera video that has not been released. The group would like to see that video handed over to the public. "I think the dashcam footage would clear it all up," Merritt added.
The Arlington Police Department's policy is to not release such video until the investigation is complete.
The activist group would also like Crane to be remembered as a person, not as a criminal. They are holding a vigil for Crane on Tuesday night from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Cravens Park in Arlington.