Missouri State Highway Patrol has investigated 18 officer-involved shootings this year
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Missouri State Highway Patrol has investigated 18 officer-involved shootings in 2023 as of Aug. 8.
Through an open-records request, ABC 17 News learned that the Department's Division and Crug Crime Control have investigated dozens of officer-involved shootings (OIS) over the past three years.
- 2021 - 35 OIS investigations
- 2022 - 35 OIS investigations
- 2023 - 18 OIS investigations
This includes the shooting that happened last Friday involving the Columbia Police Department.
22-year-old Marquis Rivera died Aug. 4 after officers were dispatched twice to The Landing Apartment Complex on Campusview Drive in south Columbia. Rivera was reportedly suicidal at the time.
Upon the officers' second arrival, Rivera allegedly had a gun and shot first in the air, then at officers, according to police. Multiple officers then returned fire.
Rivera's family is asking for the officers' body-worn camera footage from the night of the incident, and to hear the recording of the phone calls with 911 dispatchers, as well as a copy of the police report.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol said it is still in the early stages of the investigation, and there were no updates at this time.
Cpl. Kyle Green with the patrol said officer-involved shooting investigations are handled just like any other investigation.
He said evidence is collected at the scene from "crime scene technicians or officers, they're going to take pictures of the scene," and then interviews with witnesses, and camera footage will be reviewed.
"A lot of people are waiting for answers in the situation, it could be family members, could be members of the community, the officers involved," said Green. "So you want to make sure that you do a thorough job."
Green said the investigation could take a few weeks to a few months.
Christian Tabak, with the Columbia Police Department, said its internal investigation will not be completed until the patrol's investigation has concluded.
