Jessica Hernandez (Photo : TWITTER/@menes676)
Denver's coroner declared Jessica Hernandez's death a homicide after the autopsy report showed the contradicting statements made by the police, according to New York Daily News.
The autopsy showed that the 17-year-old who was killed by police officers in Denver while driving a stolen vehicle suffer four gunshot wounds.
According to the report that was released on Friday, the Denver medical examiner's office pointed out that Jessica Hernandez also had marijuana and small amount of alcohol in her system when the shooting occurred on Jan. 26. The incident caused protests and eventually sparked an outside investigation.
The shooting took place during the national debate about the police using force after racially charged killings in Missouri and New York.
The police stated that two Denver police fired at Hernandez after she drove en route for one of them. However, the case remains unclosed and is under investigation by the district attorney.
According to her family's attorney Qusair Mohamedbhai, the two bullets that entered the left side of her chest shows that Hernandez was show from the driver's side of the car.
In a statement, Mohamedbhai said, "These facts undermine Denver Police Department's claim that Jessie was driving at the officers as they shot her," he added that the wound path and trajectory of the bullet that probably killed Hernandez destabilizes the reports presented by the Denver Police Department.
However, a retired Colorado police chief and use-of-force expert Dan Montgomery said that conclusions should not be drawn with only the autopsy report as the basis, other facts should be considered including the officers' positioning, the tactics they performed when the car was approaching, and especially what they have to say regarding the incident.
Witnesses stated that the officers pulled Hernandez out of the car and handcuffed even though she was already motionless.
Mohamedbhai said that the abrasions found on Hernandez's face were proof of inhumane treatment. "There is now objective evidence contradicting the Denver Police Department's claims that Jessie was to blame for her own death," he added.
Hernandez's family requested for another autopsy which will be performed in private and independently as for the reason that they do not trust the official investigation.
Raquel Lopez, the Denver police spokeswoman, refused to comment on this.
