Colorado Police Officers Placed on Paid Leave After Taking Photos Where Elijah McClain Was Choked by Police

After an investigation was announced to revisit the police killing of 23-year-old Elijah McClain, it’s been reported that the police department in Aurora, Colorado, is now investigating several officers who posed for pictures near the site where McClain was detained by police officers before he died, according to NPR.

#Breaking: multiple sources say 3 @AuroraPD officers under investigation for taking inappropriate photos at a memorial for #ElijahMclain. Aurora PD tells @cbsdenver “An IA is in progress regarding photographs that were taken at that location”. Statement coming soon from APD Chief

— Brian Maass (@Briancbs4) June 30, 2020

Interim Chief of Police Vanessa Wilson issued a written statement about the investigation.

“Thursday afternoon, I was apprised of allegations reported to Internal Affairs by an Aurora Police Officer alleging multiple Aurora Police officers were depicted in photographs near the site where Elijah McClain died. All involved officers were immediately placed on administrative leave with pay in non-enforcement capacities.

“I immediately ordered Internal Affairs to make this investigation their top priority. This accelerated investigation was completed this evening.

“This investigation will be publicly released in its entirety promptly upon its conclusion. This will include reports, photographic evidence obtained, officer’s names, and my final determination which can rise to the level of termination.”

ABC News reports that a joint statement issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, and the Denver division of the FBI said it was aware of the photographs and it was “gathering further information about that incident to determine whether a federal civil rights investigation is warranted.”

Sheneen McClain, Elijah’s mother, said to ABC News, “It’s a bunch of smoke. Aurora Colorado has failed in providing justice to its citizens by allowing corrupt officials and police officers to roam the streets.”

“I am not surprised that these photos are showing up now because the whole department is corrupt. Killers being protected by cowards and cowards being protected by killers. Aurora Colorado’s senior officials should be ashamed of their leadership; it seems like they did a lot of following others to hell!”