GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The family of a teen who died after being hit by a deputy's cruiser are calling for transparency from the Kent County Sheriff's Office just hours before laying him to rest.
Riley Doggett, 17, died May 9, weeks after he was hit by a police car during a chase.
Back in April, Doggett was allegedly an occupant in what deputies believed was a stolen vehicle when they tried to stop the car. Doggett got out of the car and started to run, deputies said. He was then hit by a deputy's cruiser.
The Kent County Sheriff's Office said Doggett had been hit accidentally.
Doggett remained in the hospital for several weeks before his death.
His family is now calling for transparency and for the dash and body camera footage to be released. They also want to see the police report.
In a press conference Friday, just hours before Doggett's funeral, his family called for justice alongside their lawyer, Ven Johnson, and Kent County Commissioner Robert Womack.
The family said the only information they received from police after the incident was from a Michigan State Police detective who said the officer was trying to use his vehicle for a pit maneuver.
"For those who may not be so familiar, watch NASCAR, watch when one car is in front of another and the back car nudges, hits the car in front," Johnson said. "Ladies and gentlemen, we don't do pit maneuvers on people."
Doggett's mother said police had not been communicating with her, and that she was learning details about her own son's death through the media.
Johnson argued that the sheriff's office should be transparent if they believe Doggett's death was truly an accident.
The sheriff's office, however, said Friday that more information on Doggett's death would be released in the future.
“We are waiting on the Prosecutor’s evaluation of all the evidence. KCSO will release something when this review has been completed," reads a statement.
Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker had no comment on the situation or more information on a timeline to review the case.
During the press conference, Johnson asked the public to keep fighting for transparency in the incident.
"We sadly have an obvious problem with the use of excessive force in our state, and we need the public to stand up together and make it clear to our lawmakers that no one is above the law, everyone should be held accountable," Johnson said.
Doggett will be laid to rest Friday at 5 p.m.
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