Approaching the one-year anniversary of the Hammond death

In a few days, the calendar will mark one year since Zachary Hammond was fatally shot as the Seneca police attempted to make a drug case.  And today the law firm that represented Hammond’s parents issued a statement.  It reads, in part, “The Hammonds had hoped that Zachary’s death would be a teachable moment for citizen and law enforcement alike.  Unprovoked police to unarmed citizen shootings must stop.”  The statement goes on to say that while the Hammond family knows the pain and anguish of losing a child at the hands of a police officer, they are also appreciative of the thankless and difficult job that the men and women in blue perform every day.   The statement from attorneys Eric Bland and Ronnie Richter says, “All lives matter and it is an injustice to each and every American when an officer-related shooting is not handled with sensitivity and absolute transparency.  Anarchy is not the answer.  We must resolve as a community that these matters will be handled swiftly and openly and that the police will be policed. Body and Dash cameras are a must for every police officer in every community.”   In the next legislative session, according to the attorneys, the Hammonds hope Zach’s law will be reintroduced and passed—a bill to require the immediate release of dash cam videos to the families of those whose loved ones are killed by the police.