WEST HARTFORD, Conn. — Sheely Alexander-Garcia said she’s haunted by her older brother's last moments.
“We are left with the memory of his suffering. I keep hearing his voice, please don’t kill me,” she said.
Her older brother, Mike Alexander-Garcia, 34, was being pursued by officers during a stolen car investigation Tuesday when he jumped in a car that was being worked on in a Town Fair Tire service garage on New Britain Avenue.
The Office of the Inspector General is investigating if the use of deadly force was justifiable during the seconds Alexander-Garcia drove a Rav4 in reverse out of a garage, hit a police cruiser, and crashed into a pole. He was being bitten by police dog Islay and when he was shot multiple times by Officer Andrew Teeter who was struggling inside the car with him Tuesday around 5 p.m.
Sheelynashary Alexander-Garcia spoke out Monday, flanked by attorneys and representatives of the NAACP.
“I know Mike was terrified in that car. My brother is dead because the police shot him three times, three times, even though he had no weapon,” she said.
“He struggled with substance abuse and it was something that was difficult for our family to witness substance abuse and it was something that was difficult for our family to witness.”
On Friday, West Hartford Police Chief Vernon Riddick said in part, “This was a dangerous situation involving multiple attempted carjackings and I encourage the public and media to review all of the details.”
The Garcia family was in West Hartford from Windham and joined by one of their local town councilors.
Jaqueline Garcia was too grief-stricken to speak about her oldest child.
Attorneys spoke on her behalf.
Ken Krayeske with BBB Attorneys said, “In the video, the officer never issues a clear command to Mike telling him how he can avoid death. The officer just says I’m going to shoot you.”
Peter Billings, BBS Attorneys, added, “It pears that an absolute tragic incident has occurred, and it appears to us in our additional investigation that it was caused by an escalation by the police.”
Alexander-Garcia was known to the police.
The family says he struggled with addiction and past larceny violations didn’t make him violent.
“There’s no excuse for his actions. I’m not standing here defending his actions. But he wasn’t a bad person,” his sister said.
Michael Alexander-Garcia died from point-blank shots to the torso.
The Inspector General’s initial report states that he backed out of that service garage despite the police dog and officer in the car struggling with him. Authorities are in the process of a comprehensive investigation.
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