9-year-old Arther Keith of Cleveland, Ohio died in a police shooting on November 13, 2020. Keith was shot by Cleveland Metropolitan Police Authority police officer James Griffiths.
Autopsy Results
The 8-page autopsy report released in early March revealed that a singular gunshot wound showed that Kieth was shot in the back. The bullet entered at Kieth’s upper left back, continued through the left ribs, punctured the left lungs and heart, and exited through the right side of his body.
The autopsy revealed that Keith had traces of marijuana, nicotine, and oxycodone in his system when he was shot.
Witnesses from the scene say that Keith was running away from the CMHA officer before being shot in the back.
The Cleveland Metropolitan Housing Authority’s Statement
The official CMHA report states that officers were responding to a call about someone brandishing a gun. The narrative also states that Keith pointed a gun at the officers before he was shot.
Camera footage from the officers has yet to be released.
Involvement from The Cochran Firm Cleveland
Stanley Jackson of The Cochran Firm Cleveland has been hired as the Keith family’s attorney for this case. In an interview with Fox 19 News, Jackson said, “We are all committed to making sure that CMHA is held accountable for the life that was taken–wrongfully taken in this community.”
Jackson also stated that the irony of Keith’s death is he met James Griffiths at the King Kennedy Boys & Girls Club. Jackson said, “They met each other before in a program. And so part of the program is for kids to come together and tell and talk and share how they feel they’re being policed in the community.”
An additional tragedy related to Keith’s death is that children from the Boys & Girls Club witnessed the shooting. Many of the children have reported distress and trauma from witnessing the shooting. Some have also reported nightmares.
The investigation is ongoing, but Keith’s family is eager to see justice served.