PITTSBURGH — Channel 11 has learned that the mayor, public safety director, police chief, deputy chief, and city solicitor met Wednesday to discuss the timeline of the Jim Rogers death investigation.
Mayor Bill Peduto is hopeful the investigation will be wrapped up before he leaves office.
“There will be a full set of recommendations that will come. I don’t know if that will be done in time that it will come to me, or it will go to Mayor Gainey. What I do know is, I have asked that process to begin before I leave,” Peduto told Channel 11.
Sources tell Channel 11 that the actions of multiple officers are being investigated following Rogers’ death.
Rogers died the day after a Pittsburgh police officer tased him at least eight times after he had taken a ride on someone’s bike, then returned it. The bike was sitting in someone’s front lawn in Bloomfield.
There’s video that shows multiple parts of the incident, including from when the officer tases Rogers to when he’s taken to the hospital.
“Anything that the District Attorney has asked us for in this process, we have provided 100% of within 24 hours, so that the DA can follow through on their responsibility of prosecution, if necessary,” Peduto said.
Earlier Thursday, District Attorney Stephen Zappala issued a statement where he was critical of Peduto’s policies surrounding training and proper use of tasers.
The mayor responded, while noting that city officers complete top public safety programs offered throughout the country.
“For the DA to say that we did not do something, and then to say what that something was not, when somebody lose their life. … He is the prosecutor of the county. He needs to either apologize immediately today, or he needs to explain exactly what it is that he is saying we did not do,” Peduto added.
Late this afternoon, Zappala sent us another statement saying:
“What we are talking about here is the unnecessary and absolutely preventable death of Jim Rogers.
“Engaging in Mr. Peduto’s posturing is counterproductive.
Although Mr. Peduto’s police department has been less than cooperative with county police, his administration will not prevent us from telling, and in fact showing the people the truth.
“At that time Mr. Peduto will have to answer for a number of issues which he has failed to address during his administration.”
Zappala would not do an on-camera interview.
Additionally, the officer in question was involved in another taser incident just four months earlier.
This was the same officer that detained a shoplifting suspect at the Target in East Liberty back in June.
That officer was working a security detail when he says that he encountered the person with more than $200 worth of electronics. Sources told Target 11 reporter Rick Earle that the person tried to run away and that is when the officer pulled his taser.
It is unclear how many times he used it, but the person did stop.
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