Police Officers Cleared In 2015 Shooting Death Of Man Who Shot Boston Officer
BOSTON (CBS) – No charges will be filed against the two police officers and one State Trooper who shot and killed a man last year in Roxbury, moments after that man shot an officer in the face.
Suffolk County District Attorney Dan Conley told reporters Tuesday he met with family of Angelo West to inform them of his decision not to charge any state trooper or Boston police officer involved in the March 27, 2015 shooting after a traffic stop.
Read: Final Report On Shooting Death Of Angelo West
"The facts and the evidence gathered during this exhaustive investigation establish beyond any doubt that two Boston Police officers and one State Trooper discharged their firearms in a lawful exercise of self-defense and defense of others," said Conley.
Conley stressed that full transparency was the goal of his office during the investigation, partly due to other recent cases across the country in which people were killed by police.
"These cases are under tremendous scrutiny around the country after the incidents in Ferguson and Staten Island particularly, as well they should be," said Conley.
Watch: Surveillance Video Of Officer Moynihan's Shooting (Warning: May Contain Graphic Images)
Surveillance video from the scene showed West get out of his car as officers approached without their guns drawn. West was seen shooting Boston Police Officer John Moynihan at close range and running away before officers shot and killed him.
"It's still chilling for me, 13 months after the shooting, to watch this," said Boston Police Commissioner Bill Evans, after the footage was played at a press conference Tuesday. "Approaching this vehicle, no one could have ever thought of what would happen to Officer Moynihan."
Conley said one of the other men in the car West was driving was under surveillance by the Youth Violence Strike Force in connection with prior shooting incidents.
Officers observed that man, believed to be associated with the H-Block street gang, getting into a car with West and another man while appearing to carry a gun in his waistband. Officers followed the car, pulling it over after seeing West ignore a stop sign.
West, 40, was a convicted felon. Conley said he was shot four times and had 14 bags of crack cocaine on him.
"My prayers and thoughts still go out to the West family," said Evans. "I can't fathom what his mother and his family are going through losing a loved one. But I think clearly in this case, my officers used the force they had to."
Moynihan survived the shooting and had surgery to remove a bullet that was lodged near his ear.
He was honored at a Boston Police ceremony with Mark Wahlberg last month.
Before Conley announced the results of the investigation, he met with a member of West's family and several leaders from his neighborhood.
"Because of all their transparency I am satisfied with the District Attorney's decision," said Rev. Mark Scott, among those who met with Conley before the decision was announced.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Bernice Corpuz reports
