Family of teen shot by police accuse department of cover-up

Photo: Matt Perron

Columbia, S.C. (WOLO)– The family of a man shot and killed by police say they are not satisfied with the ruling that his death was justified.
Tuesday afternoon the Racial Justice Network held a news conference outside the Richland County Courthouse.
The group alleges that the body camera video does not show Joshua Ruffin, 17,  point a gun at officers.
The police department released the video to the media in June showing Ruffin with the gun.
The group also questions why Ruffin was approached by police in the first place.

We asked the police department about these allegations and were provided the following statement,
“Police Chief Skip Holbrook provided factual information regarding the investigation at the Fifth Circuit Solicitor’s office news conference in June.
The department stands by those public comments.”

Ruffin was shot and killed in April when police say he was approached by an officer investigating car break-ins on Two Notch Rd.

For a look at the video and our previous coverage of this incident click here.