'Historic' Settlement To Be Announced After Shooting Death Of Unarmed Man
AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - The City of Aurora is set to announce what is being called a "historic settlement."
The settlement stems from the deadly police shooting of an unarmed black man that happened in March of last year.
The City of Aurora will pay out millions after an unarmed man was shot to death while being pursued.
Twenty-seven-year-old Naeschylus Vinzant was wanted for crimes including domestic violence, kidnapping and taking off his ankle monitor. He was spotted near 13th Avenue and Laredo Street and officers confronted him.
One witness at the time told CBS4, "I heard a loud noise … probably eight officers with their handguns drawn."
But only one of the officers fired, striking Vinzant in the chest. It was then learned he was
unarmed.
Paul Jerothe was the SWAT officer who fired. He had been recognized as a hero during the Aurora theater shooting and was not charged in the case after a grand jury investigation.
Jefferson County District Attorney Pete Weir was appointed as special prosecutor. In announcing the grand jury probe, he said, "There are discrepancies. There are discrepancies with respect to the initial outcry by officer Jerothe at the scene and what he said six days later."
The police shooting touched off protests during a tumultuous time around the country.
But in Aurora calm was kept.
"The family says they want to see a peaceful resolution to this and not see what happened in other parts of the country," Aurora Police Chief Nick Metz told CBS4 in July.
Vinzant's parents spoke out after the grand jury decision.
"I think we all should be held accountable for what we do," his mother said.
"This is becoming such a common issue, black men being murdered by police officers," Vinzant's father Herman Floyd said.
The terms of the settlement are to be laid out at a news conference as well as the changes in policy.
CBS4's Rick Sallinger is a Peabody award winning reporter who has been with the station more than two decades doing hard news and investigative reporting. Follow him on Twitter @ricksallinger.
