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Three officers and two paramedics have been charged in the 2019 death of Elijah McClain.
According to The Associated Press, Colorado Attorney General Philip Weiser announced Wednesday (September 1) that a grand jury indicted the officers and emergency medical personnel two years after McClain’s death.
The grand jury brought a total of 32 charges against the officers, Nathan Woodyard and Randy Roedema, former officer Jason Rosenblatt, and paramedics Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec. Each face one count of manslaughter and one count of criminally negligent homicide.
On August 24, 2019, McClain, 23, was confronted by officers after leaving a convenience store. Someone called 911 reported a suspicious person walking with a ski mask along a road in the Denver suburb of Aurora.
During the arrest, officers put McClain in a chokehold and paramedics injected him with ketamine, a powerful sedative. Days later, McClain died in a hospital. Local and national protests were fueled by the details of McClain's killing.
According to KDVR, Weiser spoke to McClain's father on Tuesday (August 31) who reportedly wept tears of joy over the news about the charges.
"Nothing will bring back my son, but I am thankful that his killers will finally be held accountable," LaWayne Mosley said.
Weiser was assigned to the case personally by Gov. Jared Polis after the former district attorney declined to bring any criminal charges against those involved with McClain's death.
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