elijah mcclain

Colorado Officers Placed on Leave Over Photos Near Site of Elijah McClain's Death

A statement from the interim police chief of Aurora, Colorado, do not detail the substance of the photos

In this Oct. 1, 2019, file photo, Rashiaa Veal holds a sign featuring her cousin, Elijah McClain, at a news conference in front of the Aurora Municipal Center in Aurora, Colorado.
Andy Cross/MediaNewsGroup/The Denver Post via Getty Images

Officers from the Aurora, Colorado, police department have been placed on paid leave after allegations that "multiple" police officers were depicted in photos near the site where Elijah McClain died, the interim police chief said Monday night.

McClain, a 23-year-old Black man, died last year after he was put in a chokehold by police. His death has sparked protests, and on Thursday, Gov. Jared Polis appointed a special prosecutor to investigate his death.

Aurora police interim chief Vanessa Wilson did not detail the photographs or indicate when they were taken. Wilson said in a statement that she was apprised of the allegations reported to internal affairs Thursday afternoon.

"I immediately ordered Internal Affairs to make this investigation their top priority," Wilson said in the statement. "This accelerated investigation was completed this evening."

Read the full story on NBCNews.com

Contact Us