By Karen L. Bune

The recent shooting death of a 14-year-old boy in the District of Columbia by a metropolitan police officer who claims the kid stole his mini-bike and fired gunshots at his personal vehicle, and the subsequent manner in which the incident has been handled, has stirred concern and controversy in the community, law enforcement circles, and among the press.  Though Mayor Adrian Fenty seemingly always want to have his finger on the pulse of what is happening in the District he has, in this instance, seemingly overstepped the boundaries of caution and sensibility.  Within a short time frame, he has held four press conferences— too many at the onset of an incident that requires critical and thorough investigation by law enforcement authorities.  He is attempting to be all things to all people too fast by an apparent effort to assuage the uproar generated in the community, the antagonism towards the police, and the impact on the victim’s family. 

The mayor’s immediate move to have the case rapidly turned over to federal authorities for investigation lends the impression that he possibly lacks confidence in his newly hand-picked police chief, Cathy Lanier, and the police department itself.  Though there are a number of factors that appear, on the surface, to be questionable about the actions that occurred and resulted in the tragic consequences of this shooting incident, no one should make preliminary assumptions without an objective, thorough, and comprehensive investigation and examination of evidence and witness accounts. 
A number of people share the opinion that the police officer, James Haskel, who had his mini-bike stolen, should not have taken the matter into his own hands by investigating the theft on his own. Former Metropolitan Police Chief, Charles H. Ramsey, accurately described the entire matter as a “bad situation” and made a correct assessment when he stated, “If you are emotionally involved in a situation, it’s always best to have someone on duty handle it.”
On the other hand, there are those who argue that a cop is on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and if the officer decided to scout around his neighborhood looking for the bike, that is understandable.  Then there are those who maintain that once he saw the kid on his bike, he should have identified himself as a cop and also called for backup by his own department.  However, the officer contends that the kid immediately blasted gunshots at his vehicle, and he returned fire with fatal results.  Subsequently, his friend who was with him, also a colleague, disappeared and removed Haskel’s personal vehicle from the scene only to return a short time later without it.
All these actions leave room for questions, and there are plenty of them.  They must be resolved through the appropriate channels and a professional process.  Undoubtedly, the impact of it all is great, and the matter must be handled responsibly and with sensitivity.

Mayor Fenty’s latest press conference to which he invited the sisters of the slain victim to the podium was both a shock and a worry to law enforcement officials.  Moreover, it was not the wisest decision the mayor could make.  The severe impact of a family member’s sudden death is traumatic, and it is customary for survivors to need time to process the immediate effects of such astonishing news.  They don’t necessarily want or need to be confronted with the media attention nor do they need to be responding to questions and providing feedback to curious newshounds who are looking for a compelling story amidst their grief.  Perhaps it is Fenty’s way of letting the family knows he cares about what happens to the case involving their loved one and wants them to know pursuit of the truth will occur, but it is not the best way to do so.  If, at some future point, the investigation unravels a circumstance in which criminal charges are filed and a trial ensues, these very family members could be called to testify or provide a victim impact statement. Their current interaction with the press and any statements they make could be potentially problematic.

It is obvious that Mayor Fenty is trying to show he is an involved mayor, and he is attempting to set a tone of confidence for the public, the police, and the family of the victim, but the balancing act he has invoked is a complex and difficult one.  Though he can have a genuine interest to get to the truth of the matter, he must recognize that he cannot provide all things to all people.