The mother of Tony Robinson is speaking out against this week’s decision by the Madison police chief to reinstate the officer who fatally shot her son three months ago.
Andrea Irwin said she’s disappointed that an internal investigation found Officer Matt Kenny did not violate the Madison Police Department’s policy on the use of deadly force. Kenny shot Robinson, who was unarmed, during a confrontation on a narrow apartment stairway. Irwin said her son’s death should prompt a change in policy.
“If a person doesn’t have a weapon, the first line of action shouldn’t be shooting them,” Irwin said. “These are people’s lives. When someone’s life is taken, it’s not something you can go back and fix. So these procedures, I think, are extremely important to be looked at.”
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Chief Mike Koval has said he won’t consider changing the policy.
On Saturday afternoon, Robinson’s family and friends plan to hold a gathering in the street in front of the house where the shooting took place to mark the three-month anniversary of Robinson’s death.
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