Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2013 | 2:19 p.m.
Metro Police issued internal reports Wednesday giving more detail about two officer-involved shootings last year, including a controversial shooting by Officer Jacquar Roston, who kept his job despite a unanimous vote by a civilian review board to remove him.
The Roston report, issued by Metro’s Internal Oversight Review Department, indicated Roston’s actions were “not reasonable” and violated Metro’s policies, leading to a recommendation of punitive discipline and additional training.
The recommended discipline was counter to the recommendation by Metro’s Use of Force Review Board, and Sheriff Doug Gillespie’s decision to retain Roston was met with a wave of resignations from the board.
On Nov. 11, 2012, Roston shot 22-year-old Lawrence Gordon, who was unarmed, in the leg after confusing a metallic symbol on a hat with a firearm, according to a spokesman for the police union.
Roston was suspended for 40 hours without pay and required to undergo additional training.
According to the report issued today, Roston made several poor tactical decisions, including approaching a vehicle without a second officer present, deciding to separate a female driver and Gordon and creating a “situation of peril.”
Five civilian members of the Use of Force Review Board, which reviews all Metro officer-involved shootings, resigned in protest of the decision to retain Roston on the force.
A second, separate report detailing the non-fatal shooting of an armed robbery suspect by Officer Steven Lehman found the officer’s actions to be fully within Metro’s policies.
According to the report, Lehman was leaving a convenience store in the 2000 block of North Jones Boulevard on July 17, 2012, when he was alerted to an armed robbery in progress inside the store. Lehman entered the store, challenged one of the robbery suspects and shot him twice after the suspect pointed a gun at him, the report said.
The report recommended that Lehman receive a commendation for his actions.
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