'Nothing has been done': Family of man shot by HPD marks 6 months of his shooting death with protest
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The family of a man shot by Houston police six months ago, spent Thursday morning protesting in front of Houston City Hall, hoping to get the attention of city officials.
Jalen Randle was shot and killed by Officer Shane Privette at the end of a chase involving a car Randle was riding in. Bodycam video of the incident shows Privette firing a moment after getting out of his patrol car. As soon as he fires, Privette is heard uttering a curse word, expressing his surprise.
Since that day, the Randle family has demanded that Privette face criminal charges.
"April 27, 2022. It happened on a Wednesday roughly around 2:45 p.m. Jalen was shot and killed by Officer Shane Privett," Randle's mother, Tiffany Rachel recalled, as she was among a dozen or so protestors outside the city hall.
"What do we want? Justice," The protestors yelled through a loudspeaker.
By happenstance, HPD Chief Troy Finner was attending a World Series news conference at City Hall, and walked right by the protestors.
Jalen's father, Warren Randle, expressed his frustration when their shouts went unacknowledged.
"This case doesn't exist. Justice doesn't exist. This is what's going on in Houston," Warren Randle fumed.
On Thursday afternoon, Houston police told ABC13 that its criminal investigation of the shooting has wrapped up. The next step would be the district attorney's office presenting the case to a Harris County Grand Jury. However, a spokesperson for District Attorney Kim Ogg's office said they have not yet received the investigation.
"Chief Finner says six months his investigation would be finished. Kim Ogg says her investigation goes on after (Finner) is finished. So nothing has been done," a frustrated Warren Randle said. "It's just them telling one story this that and the other."
Privette's attorney from the Houston Police Union tells ABC13 that the officer is back on his regular duty, which is part of the anti-gang taskforce. The attorney says he expects Privette to be cleared of any wrongdoing, because their position is that the shooting was justified.
In 2019, Privette was initially indicted and then no billed following accusations he assaulted a suspect during an arrest in 2017. Records of that were expunged after he was no-billed.
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