Prosecutors promise thorough probe of police killing of teen

Candles burn in front of participants at a vigil near the scene of the early morning fatal shooting of a young woman who hit and injured a Denver Police Department officer while driving a stolen vehicle Monday, Jan. 26, 2015, in northeast Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Candles burn in front of participants at a vigil near the scene of the early morning fatal shooting of a young woman who hit and injured a Denver Police Department officer while driving a stolen vehicle Monday, Jan. 26, 2015, in northeast Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

By Associated Press January 28, 2015 3 min read

DENVER (AP) – A passenger who was in a car when a 17-year-old girl was shot and killed by Denver police has disputed authorities’ account of her death, saying officers opened fire before one of them was struck by the vehicle.

The passenger, speaking late Tuesday to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because of safety concerns, said her friend, Jessica Hernandez, lost control of the vehicle because she was unconscious after being shot.

Police have said the Monday morning shooting in a residential alley came after Hernandez drove a stolen vehicle into one of them.

Prosecutors on Tuesday promised a thorough probe of the shooting as a small group of angry protesters demanded swift answers and called for a special prosecutor to investigate the death.

The shooting occurred amid a national debate about police use of force fueled by racially charged episodes in Ferguson, Missouri, and New York City.