Family desperate for answers after man shot, killed by Racine police officer

 

RACINE, Wis. (CBS 58) -- There are still many questions left unanswered after a man died in an officer-involved shooting in Racine on Friday, May 20.

According to police, an officer pulled over a car around 1 p.m. on Friday, May 20 near 12th and Schiller street to execute a search warrant.

Police said the officer observed that the man inside the car had a handgun. He got out of the car and ran, which began a chase with the officer.

Racine police chief said Friday, during the chase, the man did something that led an officer to fire his gun, hitting the man.

He was taken to the hospital where he died.

"The armed man refused all commands and took an action that resulted in the pursuing officer discharging their service weapon," Police chief Maurice Robinson said in a brief press conference on Friday.

Robinson said the unidentified officer is now on administrative leave.

Since then, police, city officials, and other authorities involved have not provided any more details, including the man's identity.

Family members of the man involved told CBS 58 they're begging for answers.

On Friday, Natasha Mullen identified the man shot and killed as her brother, 37-year-old Da'Shontay King, of Racine.

She told our reporter on the scene that King leaves behind four children. 

Mullen told us Saturday that officials have not yet reached out to the family, a full day after his death.

"He did not deserve to get gunned down by them," Mullen said, "We want answers. We want to know what happened."

Mullen said the information from police so far doesn't explain why her brother was shot.

"If somebody makes a gesture and that scares you to the point you have to kill a man, you couldn't just disarm him?," Mullen said, "Y'all want us to cooperate with you. Y'all want us to talk to you, but yet every time we turn around, somebody is getting killed by your hands."

King's family members are pleading for authorities to release the body camera footage.

They're also asking for anyone with details or footage of the incident to come forward.

"If you have any type of knowledge, send it, call it in, report it. Just tell us. Send it in. We just need answers. Somebody has to be held accountable," Mullen said.

She said the only information the family has been told is that King's body is being sent to Milwaukee for an autopsy, which likely won't be done until next week.

"We don't know when they're going to release his body to us so we can have him, so we can see him," Mullen said.

We reached out to the Wisconsin Department of Justice on Saturday, May 21, asking for authorities to confirm the man's identity, as they have not yet. The DOJ told CBS 58 they won't be releasing any more information at this time.