A teenage girl was shot and killed by officers inside of a Texas police station last week, authorities say.
Last Thursday evening, 17-year-old Kristiana Coignard was killed by three officers in the Longview Police Department's lobby. Police claim they shot Coignard because she was brandishing a weapon, although officials have declined to specify the exact weapon.
Coignard, who moved to Longview in December to live with her aunt, reportedly suffered from bipolar disorder and depression. Her aunt, Heather Robertson, told ThinkProgress that police have told the family very little about the events leading up to her niece's death:
Robertson and Coignard’s grandmother, Holly McGuire, spoke to a Longview police officer on the night Coignard was killed for about 30 minutes. They were provided with few details of what transpired but were told that a video of the incident, including sound, exists. They have not been contacted by the Texas Rangers.
ThinkProgress adds that Longview Police Department Spokesman Kristian Brian confirmed that there is video footage of the shooting, but refused to elaborate. In addition, Brian said the investigation had been forwarded to the Texas Rangers, who ThinkProgress says had yet to contact Coignard's family.
"I think it was a cry for help. I think they could have done something," Robertson told ThinkProgress. "They are grown men. I think there is something they are not telling us.”
[via ThinkProgress]
