Preliminary autopsy shows man was shot in the neck after throwing rocks at Phoenix officers

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) -- Thirty-four-year-old Ali Osman died last Saturday night during an encounter with Phoenix police. He was reportedly throwing rocks at them near 19th Avenue and Tuckey Lane when he was shot and killed.

Osman’s family is still waiting on answers. His niece, Ikran Aden, says the family has been grieving every day since the incident. “We’re asking for you to tell the truth, let the people know what really went down that day, please,” Aden said. The family is asking for the body camera footage to be released and for the two officers involved to be held accountable.

In a press conference on Thursday, Aden’s eyes filled with tears. “It’s not fair to us as a family for police officers to just run around after they killed and ended a life of someone so innocent,” she said. The family and their attorney held another press conference to share their findings from the scene, a preliminary autopsy report and funeral arrangements.

Phoenix police told Arizona’s Family they still plan to follow their transparency policy and release the body cam footage in 14 days. Still, the family’s attorney Quacy Smith says the police owe it to the family to show them sooner. “At least you put their hearts and minds at ease as to what happened and then follow your transparency policy as it relates to the general public,” Smith said.

The rocks where Osman was shot are all about an inch in size. Smith points this out because he says the rocks weren’t big enough to be considered a threat. Smith and the family agree Osman should have been placed in jail for throwing rocks but not shot. Family members said Osman suffered from mental illness and was receiving regular treatment.

A preliminary family autopsy report was also shared, which showed Osman was shot in the neck. “Mr. Osman was in fact struck by projectiles from those officer’s guns at least three times, and there’s a question whether there’s a fourth strike or not,” Smith said. After Ali’s funeral services, the family will file a notice of claim against the City of Phoenix for using excessive force and wrongful death.

Osman was a U.S citizen who came to America as a Somali refugee at 14 years old. He hasn’t seen his mother in 17 years, and family members say he had a flight to see her in Kenya on Tuesday. “But instead, she’s going to see photos. Autopsy photos,” Smith said.

The memorial is at the Tempe Islamic Community Center at 11 a.m on Friday and will be open to the public. He will then be buried at the Al Rahma Muslim Cemetery in Maricopa.

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