ROCK FALLS, Illinois--Chon Edwards says his cousin Nathaniel Edwards was like a brother to him.
“That was my blood, that was my spirit,” says Chon,
Which is why seeing the police dash cam video of Nathaniel being shot in January, stirs emotions for all over again
“I was out raged by what I saw and how everything was handled… (Nathaniel Edwards) had his life issues just like we all have, he didn’t deserve to die just because he was having issues,” says Chon.
Police cameras recorded Nate’s car weaving in and out of lanes, it leads to a slow pursuit and ended in a drive way.
Investigators say the video released July 10, shows Nathaniel backing up a white Cadillac after police told him to get out of the car. Officer Jonathan Cater fired six shots.
Chon says five shots hit his cousin in the back that night.
The Whiteside County State’s Attorney says Officer Cater feared for his life and found his deadly use of force justified. However, the Edwards’ family disagrees with the report.
When I reviewed the dash cam footage I didn’t even see an officer in the path of the vehicle…Five times is way too many for there to be any impending threat from somebody that is sitting in the car and you’re shooting him in close range, you can see exactly what he is doing,” says Chon.
The Whiteside County Attorney ruled the shooting was justified last week, but the Edwards family plans to hold a justice walk Saturday, July 14 at Rotary Park in Rock Falls.v
