Photo Credit: Sahara Reporters 

The family of Joseph Agada Ejeh, a 44-year-old Nigerian man, is fervently seeking justice and full disclosure after he was fatally shot by a US police officer in Bellevue King County, Seattle, Washington. Expressing deep anguish, the family questions the lack of video footage release and the seizure of Ejeh’s personal belongings, including his phone.

Ejeh’s family emphasizes that he had come to the United States in pursuit of a better life, only to have his American dream tragically cut short by the very police meant to protect him. They express profound dismay at the killing, describing it as without just cause and a devastating blow to their family, particularly to his widowed mother.

The circumstances surrounding Ejeh’s death raise concerns for the family, especially as conflicting details emerge. The family points out that the King County Sheriff’s Office notified them seven days after the incident occurred on December 5, 2023. The reported sequence of events, stating that Ejeh was shot multiple times after officers responded to a report of him wielding a knife, contradicts the family’s knowledge of him as an IT specialist who worked in Nigeria and the US.

The family questions the lack of video footage from businesses in the vicinity, including the LA Fitness gym where the shooting occurred. Additionally, they express distress over Joseph’s Facebook page being taken down and WhatsApp messages being accessed after his death.

The grieving family pleads with the Bellevue Police Department to release crucial evidence, including police officer body camera footage and nearby CCTV recordings, to provide clarity on the incident. They appeal to the global community for support in their quest for justice for Joseph.

Moreover, the family, through their Special Counsel for Justice for Jos Project, E. Ogebe, poses ten probing questions to the United States Police, seeking answers to key aspects of the incident. These questions include inquiries about the interaction between Ejeh and La Fitness gym workers, the rationale behind the police shooting, the whereabouts of evidence, and the refusal to disclose the names of the involved officers.

Credit: Sahara Reporters