Demetree Wynn, the mother of Dreasjon Reed, and the family’s attorneys spoke June 3 near the intersection of 62nd Street and Michigan Road to give an update on what they’ve been doing in the weeks following the fatal police shooting of 21-year-old Reed.
Wynn said Reed’s body was released by the coroner’s office, but when she looked, she couldn’t get past his face.
“If you’ve ever seen my son’s eyes, just know they shot his eyes out,” she said through tears.
According to Wynn, Reed’s left eye was sewn shut, and they “pushed some stuff in” the right eye so she couldn’t see the holes.
“They couldn’t fix his face,” she said. “They tried. He had one eyebrow that was almost at his nose and the other was on his forehead. That’s how much damage was done to his face alone.”
It’s been nearly a month since Reed was shot by police following a chase that ended on foot near where the family held the press conference.
Police said Reed had a gun and fired at police first, but the attorneys said they have evidence to show that isn’t true.
Swaray Conteh, the lead attorney, said he won’t share what that evidence is right now.
“We can only say we have evidence that is contrary to the claim that IMPD is making,” he said.
Attorneys recently released video of women in a car who can be heard describing Reed’s death. The video does not show what happened.
“They killed this man for no reason,” one woman says. “… Dude was running.”
She continues: “He was on the ground shaking. They still shot this man. They tased him. He was on the ground defenseless.”
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department has asked witnesses to come forward but said no one has yet.
Meanwhile, the family’s attorneys are waiting for a special prosecutor to be named because city officials — including the mayor — have told them that’s where they’ll get answers to their questions.
IMPD Chief Randal Taylor released a statement June 3 saying the community is right to ask for information but it “simply cannot occur” without the direction of an independent prosecutor.
“This is unacceptable,” Taylor said of the delay in the Marion County Superior Court appointing a special prosecutor. “Our community and this police department deserve better from the criminal justice system.”
Conteh said he has sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice asking for a federal investigation.
He said he has also filed a motion to compel IMPD to release the names of the officer who shot Reed and the officer who made a comment about a “closed casket” funeral.
“We’ve been having trouble getting the cooperation of IMPD, and we know the reason for that,” Conteh said. “They are trying to conceal relevant information.”
Contact staff writer Tyler Fenwick at 317-762-7853. Follow him on Twitter @Ty_Fenwick.
Demetree Wynn, the mother of Dreasjon Reed, speaks at a press conference June 3. (Photo/Tyler Fenwick)
