PHOENIX — Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced Wednesday her office won't be prosecuting the Phoenix police officers involved in the shooting death of Ali Osman last September.
Osman was shot by police after the 34-year-old allegedly threw rocks at a police cruiser near 19th Avenue and Tuckey Lane. Police said Osman ignored commands to stop before shots were fired.
Mitchell said Tuesday the rocks thrown by Osman "posed a serious threat" to the community, which Mitchell provided as her justification for not trying to prosecute the officers.
After Osman's death, his family filed a claim seeking millions in damages and alleging that he was the victim of excessive force.
It's quite rare for prosecutors in Maricopa County to pursue criminal charges against police officers. Out of the 57 officer-involved shooting cases submitted to MCAO in 2022, only one has thus far resulted in charges being filed against the officer, records show.
Editor's Note: The above video is from an earlier broadcast.
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