GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The family of a 17-year-old killed during a pursuit with Kent County deputies are demanding the release of any videos investigators have of the incident.
Riley William Doggett died Thursday May 9, 2024, from injuries he sustained following a police chase he was involved in on Monday, April 8.
Friday morning, Doggett’s mother Becky Wilbert, his sister Taylor Daniels, and his cousin Kayla Ferrell sat down with members of the media to issue their plea.
They were joined by the family's attorney Ven Johnson, and former Kent County Commissioner Robert Womack.
“We're here to discuss an impossible situation for any mother, sister, or cousin," Johnson began.
"We have no videos, we have no police report, we literally have no information whatsoever."
He noted that it has been 46 days since the chase that ended with Doggett gravely injured.
Johnson described what happened to the teenager as "much like a pit maneuver."
"Ladies and gentleman, we don't do pit maneuvers on people," he explained.
"That is illegal, unnecessary deadly force."
Johnson says "the public deserves" to see any videos related to Riley's death.
"If there is a video, which you all know there is, if it's bad for you or your side, that should not be a deciding factor for how long you hold onto it."
He says he is now publicly calling for changes to the state's freedom of information act.
"If we're going to use this 'T' word, transparency, in every one of these situations, how about we actually mean it."
Johnson is calling for a law that would direct law enforcement agencies to release videos in certain criminal cases no more than 14 days after they are recorded.
"If the video showed something that was incredibly helpful for the officer, we would have had the video within 24- 48 hours," Johnson explained.
Womack added, "You ran over Riley Doggett, but we're not going to be let you roll over his family."
The family's legal team has paid for an independent autopsy, after the county's medical examiner deemed his manner of death as 'accident'.
Doggett's cause of death was noted as Craniocerebral trauma.
Dr. Allecia M. Wilson has already performed the independent autopsy, but has not yet issued her final report. Johnson says he will release the written report once it has been completed.
"It's really hard to grieve when we don't know what happened," Doggett's mom Becky Wilbert said.
"We don't know why it happened."
Wilbert says she has had no contact from anyone at the Sheriff's Office since the day Doggett was injured.
The 17-year-old will be laid to rest later this afternoon in Grand Rapids. His memorial service will take place at Stroo Funeral Home beginning at 5:00pm.
An obituary prepared by his family reads, "Riley was a loving and very loyal son, brother, and friend. Riley's love was unconditional and what he would do for the ones he loved had no limits. Riley loved to dance, play sports and play the game with his little sister and friends. Riley loved being with his friends and his family, especially his older brother and his nephews."
"Riley was someone you could call anytime you needed help, whether it was to mow the lawn, sit in silence with you or crack jokes all day to ease your mind and make you laugh."
On April 8, deputies with the Kent County Sheriff's Office initiated a vehicle pursuit with a vehicle that Doggett and another individual were inside.
Investigators say the vehicle was stolen.
At some point, their vehicle went off the road near Division Avenue and 32nd Street in Wyoming, hitting a number of parked cars.
Two people jumped out of the stolen vehicle and ran. One of them was Doggett, who was then struck by a cruiser.
The 17-year-old was taken to the hospital. His family telling FOX 17 the teenager suffered injuries to his head.
He would end up dying from his injuries at 10:42 p.m. Thursday, May 9.
The investigation into Doggett’s death was recently completed by investigators with the Michigan State Police.
The case is now being assessed by the Kent County Prosecutor's Office for potential criminal charges.
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