Michael Ireland’s Family Has Questions About His Death Police Still Haven’t Answered
Officer Andrew Bath, formerly employed by the Springfield (MO) police department, shot and killed Michael Ireland on February 17th. (See the original post at CopBlock.org here.) This was during Bath’s last week as a police officer for Springfield (having accepted another job out of state) and, although Bath has moved on, Michael Ireland’s family is still seeking answers regarding the death of their loved one.
These questions should be easily answered by the Springfield police department, yet, nearly two months after the shooting, their investigation is still ongoing. While the police drag their feet investigating one of their own, the Ireland Family hired attorney Joshua Roberts who’s now making the findings of his own investigation known.
“There are only two people that know what happened in that alley that night and one of them is dead,” says Joshua Roberts.
Roberts hired an investigator who traced the steps leading to Ireland’s death. He took us back to the crime scene that started on West Division the night of February 17th. Ireland and a friend were there.
“We have been able to determine the car was located in this lot and they were here trying to get it started and a car stopped by, had a jumper cable and they were able to jump start the vehicle,” says Roberts.
Roberts says that’s when a police car pulled up and blocked them from leaving.
“Michael Ireland popped out of the car and he headed down the alley way running from police,” Roberts explained.
That police car didn’t pursue Ireland, but Ireland kept running.
“It is a little surreal and it’s little bit eerie to think that we are down the same footsteps where Michael ran in the last moments of his life,” says Roberts.
Roberts says Ireland ran past a brown privacy fence, then made a hard right.
“He hops this fence and within a short period of time, the witness heard him say I am done running. That’s when he was confronted by Officer Bath and he was shot and killed right up there,” says Roberts.
Through Roberts’ investigation he learned one neighbor’s take on what happened after Ireland was shot.
“He told me that an ambulance didn’t arrive on the scene for 20 minutes which is very concerning. Why wasn’t there CPR, why wasn’t that ambulance there sooner? Could that have saved Michael’s life? I don’t know,” says Roberts.
Now, it’s up to the Springfield Police department to released its findings on what happened the night of February 17th. Police say they are waiting on lab results.
This is another example of why police fail to provide any reasonable good or service due to their funding being tax based and not service based. While the police have yet to finish their investigation, Roberts has nearly concluded his. He’s now eagerly awaiting the police departments findings, as do the rest of us, because this seems like a standard case of stalling.
One solution to this was proposed by Alyssa Wagner, of Southwest Missouri Cop Watch, who submitted this story stating:
Chief Williams gave the Springfield News-Leader a 30 day time table for the investigation to be over. It is now over 50 days later and still no answers as to why Officer Bath killed Michael Ireland. The Chief said he is waiting on lab results, but refused to say what the lab test were. Southwest Missouri Cop Watchers and Michael Ireland’s family and friends have posted questions about the case to the Springfield Police Department Facebook. What we at SW MO Cop Watchers would like to ask is for anyone who is upset by this incident and the lack of answers to the public to please go to the Springfield Police Facebook page and show your support. Tell them you want answers and care about Michael Ireland too.
Doesn’t seem like too much to ask, considering the promise was made by the chief to produce the findings by now. So why haven’t they? As Alyssa and the article mention the police claim to be waiting on lab results. What the importance of these lab results are remains a mystery? Even if Michael Ireland was under the influence, he still didn’t deserve to die. After all, a witness heard him say, “I’m done running” and then he was shot. What we don’t know is why?
Help the Ireland family get some answers by sharing this story with your friends, commenting to and/or contacting the Springfield Police Department.
Springfield Police Department | 321 E. Chestnut Expressway
Springfield, MO 65802 | Ph: 417.864.1810 | SPDmail@springfieldmo.gov
