(WXXI News & Spectrum News) The family of an off-duty parole officer who was shot and killed by a Canandaigua police officer earlier this month is calling on the state to appoint a special prosecutor. At a news conference also attended by the Rev. Al Sharpton in NYC on Saturday, the family of Sandy Guardiola called for an investigation that will avoid any conflict of interest. Kadien is also an Assistant District Attorney for Wayne County.
State Police are investigating the incident because of an effort to keep the investigation separate from Canandaigua Police. On Friday, State Police offered some more details of the October 4th incident. They said the 48 year old Guardiola was shot in her apartment after Canandaigua Sgt. Scott Kadien was called to check on her welfare when she did not show up for work. Police said Kadien reported that Guardiola fired her service revolver and he returned fire, fatally wounding her. Kadien was not injured.
According toSpectrum News, at the Saturday news conference, Guardiola’s son Andrew Ocasio detailed his mother’s battle with breast cancer and said his mother suffered broken ribs in a crash that kept her out of work for weeks.
"We question how any investigation by local investigators, including a district attorney, could ever be truly impartial," Andrew Ocasio said. "Yesterday's press conference just confirmed those concerns. The officials who spoke did so on Kadien's behalf and not my mothers. We call on Governor Cuomo and New York State Attorney General Schneiderman to take over this investigation"
"We are putting the full weight that we can behind this family and demanding to know and demanding to establish justice in this matter," said Rev. Al Sharpton. "Let me be real clear. Me and the National Action Network don't just jump on every case. We look into whether there is cause for concern."
Investigators say there is no bodycam or surveillance video of the incident. They add Guardiola was taking some medication and they're still waiting for toxicology results to come in. Sgt. Kadien is on administrative leave. All the evidence will be presented to a grand jury
