PONTIAC, Mich. – A family is demanding answers into a deadly shooting by Oakland County sheriff’s deputies.
Background: Oakland County sheriff’s deputies shoot, kill man in Pontiac
As of Dec. 18, the sheriff’s office has only released a single image of what happened leading up to the shooting. The family said that’s not enough and the image doesn’t align with what they’ve heard from witnesses.
Officers on the other hand insist it shows the 33-year-old man pointing at law enforcement as if he had a gun.
The family wants to see the video for themselves and is urging the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office to release it in full.
“It’s scary for us. I’m just thinking about what was going through his head,” said Tiffany Macon, the victim’s sister. “I’m sure he was terrified. And to be honest, my brother shared with me that his biggest fear was dying by the hands of the police.”
Macon said she can’t believe hearing how her brother, 33-year-old Tony Cox, died at the hands of deputies on Dec. 13.
“We just really need to know what happened and the only people that can give us information would be the sheriff’s,” Macon said.
She said her brother was nothing more than a gentle giant. That’s why it’s so hard to believe he pointed his hands at officers in a threatening way leading to his death after a high-speed chase.
“Tony is a robotics engineer. He graduated out in Michigan. He was also working in his career field,” Macon said. “And he also owned his own trucking company.”
Her efforts are only increased by what witnesses said, especially one man who didn’t want to go on camera, but spoke to Local 4 over the phone.
“I didn’t see any weapon. And it looked like to me he wasn’t pointing anything,” the anonymous man said. “On top of that, if they were in front of him -- why did this guy take all the shots in his back? I mean didn’t see him get hit nowhere but in his back.”
Either way, the family wants the truth.
“We just want answers so literally my mom and family can rest and understand what led up to that point,” Macon said.