Death Of Georgia Teen Shot By Police During Chase Ruled Homicide

The death of a Georgia teenager shot by state investigators in July has been classified as a homicide by a local medical examiner’s office, according to autopsy reports released on Monday.

Vincent Demario Truitt, 17, of Atlanta, was shot on July 13. Truitt, who was behind the wheels of an allegedly stolen vehicle in Austell, led Cobb County Police on a chase before pulling over near a dead-end. Truitt and another teen then attempted to run away, and the cops chased them, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Truitt brandished a handgun during the chase and was shot by one officer, the GBI said.

Truitt was taken to a hospital, where he later died.

"It is my opinion that Vincent Truitt died as a result of multiple (2) gunshot wounds to the torso. Based on the information available at this time, the manner of death is classified as Homicide," the Cobb County Medical Examiner’s Office said in a statement.

Gerald Griggs, an attorney for Truitt’s family, said on Monday that an independent investigation revealed Truitt indeed had a gun but never brandished it in a threatening manner. Griggs demanded police release any body camera footage or surveillance video related to the shooting.

"This quest for Justice for #VincentTruitt is about making sure his family gets answers. Vince was a 17-year-old son, brother, grandson, nephew and cousin. His family deserves to know the truth about his death at the hands of Cobb police," Griggs said in a tweet after the medical examiner’s announcement.

"The Family of #VincentTruitt demand the real facts about what happened to Vince. Help the family and follow @justiceforvince for updates on the case and how to help. #JusticeforVince. #justicefighter," he said in a separate tweet.

Truitt’s family had organized a protest march over the weekend demanding the release of all videos from the night of the shooting. During the march, Truitt’s family and friends gathered on the Riverside Parkway, the exact spot where he was shot.

"All ya'll loved Vince," Andrae Truitt, the father of the slain teen, said during the march, according to WNYW-TV. "You know Vince was a good boy. You know how he was raised. You see how much love his family had for him."

"We want justice. We want answers," said Venethia Cook-Lewis, Truitt’s mother.