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Family members upset after grand jury 'no-bills' 4 former HPD officers in the death of Nicolas Chavez
FOX 26 Reporter Damali Keith has more as family members and activists share their frustration after a grand jury 'no-billed' four former HPD officers following the shooting death of Nicolas Chavez.
HOUSTON - The wife of a man killed by Houston Police officers last year is speaking out after a grand jury chose not to charge the officers with a crime.
A memorial for Nicolas Chavez marks the spot where he was shot to death in Northeast Houston in April 2020 by four Houston Police officers. His family has been saying he was murdered, but now a grand jury says those officers did not break the law.
RELATED: Harris Co. grand jury 'no bills' former HPD officers in the death of Nicolas Chavez
"We are very disappointed at the grand jury’s findings," says Agustin Pinedo with LULAC.
Supported by members of LULAC and carrying her late husband’s ashes in an urn, Nicolas Chavez’s widow, Jessica, says she thought the grand jury would indict the four officers, but that didn’t happen.
"It’s been hard. It’s been very difficult for me," says Jessica Chavez.
"This young man was on his knees, had no weapons, was no threat. You had 20 police officers here," says Jose Vega with LULAC.
RELATED: Four HPD officers fired following deadly April 2020 shooting of Nicolas Chavez
The officers were called that day in April 2020, because Chavez was said to be suffering a mental health crisis. Bodycam video shows the officers talking with Chavez for 20 minutes. He was tased, struck with bean bag rounds, and then shot to death more than 20 times by several officers who said he reached for a taser, that as it turns out had already been deployed.
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Houston Police Chief, Houston Mayor news conference following firing of four HPD police officers **WARNING - EXPLICIT CONTENT**
Full video of the news conference held by Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner following the firing of four Houston Police Department officers. **WARNING - EXPLICIT CONTENT**
"It’s horrible and I feel sorry for his family. But at the end of the day, our officers acted the way they were trained," says Houston Police Officers Union President Doug Griffith.
"Officers were taught to use deadly force when a suspect acquired a taser and there was no issue about distance or seeking cover or anything like that," adds Aaron Suder, HPOU Attorney.
HPD training has now changed.
"They have a taser retention class. It shows you how not to get your taser taken from you and how to make sure and protect it if you have to break the leads off and put it up. There’s also deescalation training, which has been going on now ever since this incident," Griffith explained.
He also says it is now policy for the first officer in line dealing with someone such as Chavez, to not have his or her weapon drawn.
"They’re going to go and actually put hands on the suspect. You’ve got a secondary that has a taser or a less than lethal option. Then you’ve got lethal behind that, which would be a person with a firearm."
RELATED: Houston-area activists demanding answers following death of Nicolas Chavez
Suder says with the new training, "Now, you have to back up to 25 feet or more. You have to seek cover. You have to reassess. You have to communicate with others on scene to try to figure out if the taser is loaded."
"This is an injustice on our community. Like they did it to one of us, they can do it to all of us. We’re going to pursue this further," says community activist W.R. Morris.
In fact, both sides say this isn’t the last of it. Chavez supporters say continuing with a civil suit is likely the next step.
RELATED: $100M civil lawsuit filed against HPD, City of Houston following fatal April 2020 shooting of Nicolas Chavez
As for the four officers who were fired after Chavez was killed, "They’re all very grateful the grand jury took the opportunity and time to do a thorough investigation. They should not have been fired. Absolutely not, and we’re looking forward to having an arbitration to get this evidence out in front of an arbitrator, so these officers can be put back to work and be reinstated and we’re very confident that will be the end result."
A date for arbitration hasn’t been set yet, but it’s expected to happen in January and the arbitrator could announce a decision in February 2022.