TROY, N.Y. -- With the Troy Police Department under a close microscope, people rallied Thursday night in response to an officer-involved shooting from last year.
“Dahmeek McDonald deserves justice," said Albany attorney Mark Mishler. "The people of Troy deserve justice. Justice starts with a proper investigation.”
According to Mishler, the only way to get a proper investigation for his client is for the New York attorney general to step in. On Thursday night, Mishler and members of Justice for Dahmeek called on the governor to appoint Eric Schneiderman's office to take over the investigation of the police-involved shooting of McDonald.
“What could be more important than to do this type of investigation properly,” Mishler said.
McDonald was shot twice on August 15 by Troy police officer Jarrod Iler during a parole violation arrest. McDonald was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, and police have since confirmed no weapon was recovered from the scene.
“Do I think there is going to be justice in my nephew’s case? Not the kind of justice I want,” said Messiah Cooper, McDonald’s uncle.
Thursday's plea came just days after the AG's office released a report slamming the Troy police department's handling of the Edson Thevenin case. Troy Mayor Patrick Madden defended the police department after the report was released. He said there were factual inaccuracies and errors.
Those words angered many at Thursday's press conference.
“We don’t want that police officer in our neighborhood," Cooper said. "We don’t want the one that shot my nephew in our neighborhoods.”
In responses to the press conference and protest, Madden released this statement: “Freedom of speech and respectful conversation are important parts of a functioning and open democracy. The City of Troy fully supports the public’s right to gather peacefully and express their opinions on issues involving our community.”
The Troy police department did not respond to Spectrum News' request for a comment.
“We’re not here to say all policemen are bad, or policewomen are bad, because that is not the case," said Anastasia Robertson, a member of Justice for Dahmeek and former Troy City Council member. "But everybody, regardless, deserves fairness and unbiased approach without prejudgment on how their case is handled.”
Moving forward, the group says it wants the city to create a civilian review committee and provide dashboard and body cameras for officers. That was also one of the recommendations made in Schneiderman's report of the Thevenin shooting.