An Ohio police officer was placed on paid leave as the department conducts an investigation over the accidental death of a Springfield man Sunday.
Eric Cole, 42, had called 911 at around 11 p.m. after sustaining a gunshot wound to the left arm. He told the dispatcher that the bullet pierced through his “skin and soft tissue.”
“I’m in the middle of the street,” Cole said. “I’m about to die.”
Springfield Police officers rushed to the scene. Behind the wheel was Officer Amanda Rosales who accidentally ran over Cole causing him internal bleeding, fractures, and blunt-force trauma.
The Black man died the following day. His grieving mom told reporters that Police hid the fact that they hit him when they notified her of the death.
“He said, ‘Your son has just been shot,’ never once was I told that an officer ran my son,” she said.
“Why was I not told at the scene that she ran over my son?”
Springfield Police Chief Lee Graf promised to hold all involved accountable and that an initial confusion about the shooting scene address may have caused the tragedy.
“This was an accident. Doesn’t mean it’s OK, but it’s an accident,” he said.
