Could a young man in distress have placed the 911 call to Elk Grove Police that resulted in him being shot by responding officers? The family of 24-year-old Jack Murray believes that was the case Friday afternoon when he was killed.
“We have many questions about what happened that day and really just want answers,” said Liz Belcaster, Murray’s aunt, who is acting a spokesperson for the family.
Parents Tom and Diane Murray left a Monday afternoon news conference in tears. Both are still too distraught to talk about their son’s death. They have hired attorney Antonio Romanucci to conduct a civil investigation into the incident.
“Was there some kind of action before these multiple gunshots taken by what we believe were multiple officers?” said Romanucci, who specializes in cases of police wrongdoing and was one of the attorneys involved in the George Floyd case. “Was this a cry for help?”
Romanucci said Murray suffered from Type-1 diabetes and was aware of the impact the condition could have on his mental and physical health.
"Depending on where his insulin levels were, he could be erratic," he said.
At the time of the news conference Monday, the only statement from Elk Grove Village Police was the one given the night of the incident.
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“A male subject exited the residence in possession of a knife,” said Deputy Chief Christopher Torres late Friday night. “During this confrontation, the subject was shot."
But on Monday afternoon, Elk Grove Village police issued a statement saying their officers have the resources and training they need to handle any situation.
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“We plan to share additional information about this incident publicly, including the audio from 9-1-1 dispatch, as well as the audio and video footage from the officers’ body-worn and vehicle cameras," Torres said. "We know that sharing this information in a transparent way will help our community better understand the events that unfolded last Friday afternoon. It is our goal to share this information as soon as we are can, after crucial investigative steps have been taken.”
Especially upsetting, the family says, is that they were not allowed to say goodbye to their son or even see his body after he died. They say police told them it was considered it to be a crime scene.
“To me, its morally reprehensible to not let them into the room, even if there is a police officer there, to say goodbye,” said Romanucci. “I don’t understand it.”
He said it is too early to file a lawsuit, but Romanucci wants to know more about the department’s training and procedures. He has requested copies of the 911 calls and any body-worn video, but has yet to hear back from Elk Grove Village police.
The village said, per department policy, the five officers who responded to the scene the night of the shooting have been placed on temporary administrative leave as an investigation continues. Not all of the officers were involved in the shooting itself, however, the village said.
