Family of teen killed in police pot bust requests federal probe

The independent autopsy found that Hammond was shot from the side, a finding at odds with the description of the killing initially provided by authorities. “Sometime you know that when you sign up to be a police officer that that potential is there during your career that may have to use deadly force”, Seneca Police Chief John Covington said.

Seneca police Lt. Mark Tiller says he shot Hammond during the bust the night of July 26 because he felt threatened as the teen drove his auto at him.

Tori Morton, 24, who was on the date with Hammond, was arrested on charges of simple possession of marijuana. Not only are we grieving that our son is gone. “Or what happened? And we’re just trying to find answers”, mother Angie Hammond said. An incident report from Seneca police said that Morton was the target of the police investigation.

Attorneys Eric Bland and Ronald Richter said they made a written request to the Justice Department, U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI asking them to join the investigation, “with the same intensity and thoroughness as it has demonstrated in other interracial settings”. Tiller’s attorney released a statement on the officer’s behalf, stating that Tiller fired shots after Hammond tried to run Tiller down with a auto. Over the weekend, he said it was “ridiculous” to claim that Hammond was a threat to Tiller or anybody else, and reiterated his belief that the location of the gunshot wounds suggests Tiller acted unlawfully in shooting Hammond.

Hammond was unarmed at the time of his death. Richardson also confirmed there is dashcam video of the incident but would not say when it would be released.

Bland said Hammond’s wounds indicate the vehicle was not moving, and the teen was shot on the rear of his shoulder and on the side of his chest. Tiller has been placed on administrative leave pending the results of an investigation by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, standard practice in any police shooting. Kathryn Richardson, a spokeswoman for SLED, said the investigation is continuing. Outlets including The New York Times, CNN and The Washington Post picked up the story last week following substantial outrage on Twitter, largely from supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement.