TUCSON, ARIZONA – December 10, 2021 – Today, Pima County Attorney Laura Conover released a video statement updating the public on a review of the fatal Tucson Police officer-involved shooting outside the Lowe’s on Valencia Road on Monday, Nov. 29, 2021. Below is a complete transcript of her comments.
“I am Pima County Attorney Laura Conover. I have always promised that, as your County Attorney, I will be transparent about our work at the Pima County Attorney’s Office and wholly accountable to Pima County residents. Last week, I reaffirmed that commitment when I told you all that I would update you on the status of our review of the shooting outside the Lowe’s on Valencia Road on Nov. 29th.
“You heard Tucson Police Chief Magnus explain that we would review the incident, and this morning, we have received the bulk of the necessary evidence from the Tucson Police Department to begin to evaluate the facts of the case and conduct our own investigation.
“The video is jarring. And, the video represents but a fraction of the evidence we must evaluate to determine if criminal charges are warranted in this incident. Charging decisions, especially involving incidents in which a loss of life has occurred, are not made in this Office based on emotion. They are based on a deliberative review of all the facts and all the evidence at hand. It is our obligation, my obligation, to get these decisions right, not rushed, while strictly ensuring the rights of the accused as embodied in our Constitution and laws.
“I have scheduled a convening of a critical incident review group, composed of my senior homicide prosecutors and experienced attorneys who have taken cases like these to trial, following a complete review of the evidence presented, to determine whether or not to present the case to the Grand Jury for a possible indictment of the officer.
“In order to preserve the impartiality of our prosecutors and to protect the integrity of the process, I cannot and will not comment further about this matter at this time. Thank you for continuing to be patient. Be safe and be well.”
