Shooting Victim’s Family Left Searching for Answers
Aaron Bailey, a 45-year-old Indianapolis resident, was shot and killed by officers of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department on June 29, 2017.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana announced today that a comprehensive and independent review of the evidence gathered during multiple investigations, including the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department homicide investigation, the state special prosecutor’s investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s investigation, found insufficient evidence to support federal civil rights charges against the officers involved in the shooting.
The review included all available evidence, including interviews, witness statements, and physical evidence collected from the scene.
According to Josh J. Minkler, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, the government would have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that one or both of the officers involved in the shooting deprived Mr. Bailey of a constitutionally protected right, and that the officer did so willfully. However, based on the evidence collected, career federal prosecutors determined that there is insufficient evidence to meet this standard.
The statute in question, 18 U.S.C. § 242, requires that the government prove that the officer used force that was objectively unreasonable based on all of the surrounding circumstances, and that the officer acted willfully, meaning that the officer knew that his actions were unlawful and he acted with the specific intent to do something the law forbids.
The United States Attorney’s Office, in consultation with the Civil Rights Division, has closed this matter without prosecution. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers involved in the shooting will not face federal charges.
The Bailey family, who are still searching for answers, may find some solace in the fact that the officers involved in the shooting will not face federal charges. However, the family’s quest for justice and accountability continues.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana, the Civil Rights Division, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers, and will continue to devote the resources required to ensure that all serious allegations of civil rights violations are thoroughly examined.
The case serves as a reminder of the high standard required to prove a civil rights violation, and the importance of thorough and independent investigations into allegations of excessive force.
The outcome of this case may not bring closure to the Bailey family, but it highlights the complexities of investigating officer-involved shootings and the need for continued reform and accountability within law enforcement agencies.
Key Facts
- State: Indiana
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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