AURORA, Colo. — Supporters showed up in the pouring rain Friday to march alongside the body of 14-year old Jor'Dell Richardson during a procession. His funeral was earlier in the day.
"I have to look at pictures, watch old videos to remember my son," said Laurie Littlejohn in an emotional speech.
She said she is broken after an Aurora Police Department officer shot and killed Richardson on June 1 as he was running away from an alleged robbery.
"Whatever went on that day, it was not a death sentence. It should not have been a death sentence," Littlejohn said.
The reporting party told officers Richardson showed them a weapon in his waistband. During a press conference eight days after the shooting, Interim Police Chief Art Acevedo said the weapon was determined to be a pellet gun.
The family also points out that video shows Richardson surrendering to police after being pinned on the ground by one officer, even saying out loud, "You got me," before another officer shot him. The officer was shouting that Richardson might have a gun.
"People ask, 'Well why does it matter?' Because it doesn't make sense that a 14-year old boy who is surrendering to the police — not fighting them, never touches the replica weapon — would be reaching for a gun? No," said Siddhartha Rathod, the family's attorney.
As the investigation continues, Richardson's family is left heartbroken, and a community is fed up. People who marched alongside the teen boy's hearse told Denver7 they felt it was important to show up for the family.
"We will not get justice. Justice is Jor'Dell walking through his mother's front door. Justice is Jor'Dell growing old enough to beat his brother in basketball. Justice is Jor'Dell's father getting to pick up his grandson or granddaughter. We will not get justice, but what we can get is accountability," said Rathod.
Rathod is calling on Aurora PD to release all video from the incident. In a press conference, Acevedo said the bodycam video was the only video of the shooting. However, the family believes there is video from a nearby business.
Denver7 reached out to Aurora PD for a response to the family's concerns about how the department chose to release information about the case. A spokesperson said since the shooting is under investigation, they cannot comment.
