Residents march on city hall in honor of victim - NBC40.net

As new information was released, regarding the fatal shooting involving an Atlantic City police officer, upset residents, marched on city hall in this afternoon demanding a public apology and answers from city officials.

Family, friends, and concerned citizens of Atlantic City gathered at city hall peacefully but with a purpose Wednesday afternoon, in honor of 18-year-old Atlantic City resident Derrick Mack, the young man who was fatally shot in the back by an Atlantic City police officer Monday.

"The agenda for coming out here today was to demand an open and public apology to recognize that this right here was the wrong doing that was committed amongst one of our citizens," said resident Marte King.

The march on city hall was the second gathering this week as upset residents say they will not let this incident be swept under the rug but will continue to take a pro-active approach to bringing awareness to the situation.

"Because we have to because if I don't they can do it to my sons, or they can do it to my brothers or they can do it to me," King said.

"We've been talking for years about the police insensitivity and police's practices when it comes to our communities and it's sad that something like this had to happen to manifest what we've been talking about," said Steven Young, President of National Action Network South Jersey.

According to a news release from the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office, Mack was armed with a handgun at the time of pursuit.

But further information on what happened leading up to shots being fired provided by the officer involved and witnesses does not match up...Something that was expressed in a statement from acting Atlantic County Prosecutor James McClain.

"My office is in the process of retaining the services of an independent expert in ballistics and shooting scene reconstruction, whose task it will be to take information gathered from the post-mortem examination and from the witnesses and attempt to determine scientifically if the information supports or contradicts the officer's account of the shooting," stated acting Atlantic County Prosecutor James McClain.

And as further details continue to unravel, residents say they are hoping that law enforcement and the community will be able to work together.

"Get the facts out of the way and work with the family that's the first thing, we want is the family to have some grieving time, let's have some peace time they asked us to speak on their behalf and we want to keep the peace in the street," Young said.

According to the Prosecutor's Office, the investigation is still in its early stages and no conclusions have been reached at this time.

According to the prosecutor's office, a post-mortem examination of the body was conducted Tuesday indicating that Mack died from multiple gunshot wounds to the back.

The family members were allowed to view the body earlier Wednesday.