The family of a 35-year-old deaf and developmentally disabled man shot Tuesday by Oklahoma City police are criticizing the department, calling for an officer’s arrest and asking for independent investigations.

In a statement released Friday, the family of Magdiel Sanchez said they are devastated by the death of “a friendly and kind young man, (who) was widely loved by his family, friends and the community in which he lived.”

“It is truly unconscionable that a man in Magdiel’s condition and circumstances would be killed by the very people who the community looks to for protection, said the statement released by the family’s attorneys, Melvin C. Hall and Damario Solomon-Simmons.

The family also criticized Oklahoma City Police Chief Bill Citty, accusing him of tainting the shooting investigation by “making unfounded assertions not supported by facts.”

Police say Sgt. Christopher Barnes shot Sanchez after he stepped off the porch of a southeast Oklahoma City home, where he lived with family. Moments before, Sanchez’s father had been involved in a hit and run about a half block away and had then parked his pickup in front of the house, police said. When police arrived, they say Sanchez began to approach them, and did not comply with their commands that he drop what they described as a two-foot length of pipe. His family characterized the pipe as Sanchez’s “trusted walking stick.”

Neighbors said that they yelled at police that Sanchez was deaf shortly before he was shot. Citty said it’s unclear if officers at the scene heard the neighbors. Officers fired both a handgun and a Taser at Sanchez when he got within about 15 feet of Barnes, police said at a Thursday news conference.

The family questioned why officers didn’t take more time to assess the situation, were so quick to pull their weapons and why Sanchez was shot multiple times.

The family called for Barnes’ arrest and for independent investigations to be conducted by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Justice. They also called for clearer police policies and training to prevent a similar incident from happening again.

“To be clear, Magdiel was not suspected of having committed a crime, he did not have a criminal record, and there is absolutely no justification for his death,” Hall wrote in the statement.

The family of Magdiel Sanchez, through their attorneys Melvin C. Hall and Damario Solomon-Simmons of Riggs, Abney, Neal, Turpen, Orbison & Lewis, PC., issues the following statement:

“We are devastated by Magdiel’s death and the fact it occurred at the hands of OKCPD even though he was not a suspect for any crime, was not breaking any laws, and was standing in his own front yard with his trusted walking stick. Magdiel, a friendly and kind young man, was widely loved by his family, friends, and the community in which he lived. Despite being totally deaf, non-verbal, and developmentally impaired, Magdiel was a familiar and welcomed member of his neighborhood. It is truly unconscionable that a man in Magdiel’s condition and circumstances would be killed by the very people who the community looks to for protection. Magdiel’s younger and only sister, Esmeralda, said ‘I am totally devastated to lose my sweet brother in such a heartless and totally unnecessary fashion.’

For the full story visit: http://newsok.com/family-of-deaf-man-shot-by-police-calls-for-arrest-investigation/article/5565236