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Erie residents press county council for action after unarmed killing; council says resolution language remains under review
Summary
Residents at Erie County Council’s Sept. 23 meeting pressed elected officials to act after the unarmed killing of Marcello Woodard. A draft resolution calling for investigation, policy review and body cameras was read into the record but council members said they are still working on language and did not adopt the measure at the meeting.
Michelle Dover Shaw, a resident of Erie, read a draft resolution to Erie County Council on Sept. 23 calling for a “swift, thorough, and transparent investigation” into the unarmed killing of Marcello Woodard and urging a review of county probation policies and purchase of body cameras for county parole and probation officers.
The proposal, submitted to council as Resolution No. 41 20 25, states that the council “recognizes with deep sorrow the tragic events surrounding the death of Marcello Woodard, who was unarmed at the time of the incident,” and asks the council to commit to reviewing probation department policies, update or rewrite any inadequate policies, and “pass funding and secure immediate procurement of body cameras for all Erie County parole and probation officers.”
The resolution text was read into the record during the public-comment portion of the meeting. Several members of the public, including Malcolm Pulliam and Deonte Cooley, urged council to go beyond symbolic statements and to engage directly with the community on policy changes. Pulliam said, “I will be here every meeting until you guys say we're gonna work on a policy for you guys.” Cooley, who reviewed video of council’s Sept. 18 finance meeting, criticized what he described as an insufficient, vague draft and urged council to hold meetings in affected neighborhoods rather than offer minimal statements in public sessions.
Council members acknowledged the community’s anguish and the sensitivity of the issue but said the council needed time to draft language that could secure sufficient votes. During the meeting several council members said they had discussed policy actions they could take and cited procurement of body cameras and a review of probation practices as items under consideration. Council members did not vote to adopt Resolution No. 41 20 25 on Sept. 23 and said they would continue to refine the language before returning it to the agenda.
Council discussion also referenced a recent finance committee meeting on Sept. 18, which some speakers said had fallen short of community expectations. Speakers repeatedly asked for a town-hall style meeting in the community and for clearer, faster action from elected officials. Multiple speakers invoked the passage of time since the incident—one noted the case had been public for 83 days—and urged the council to use its institutional influence to press for transparency and accountability.
Votes at a glance: Several routine agenda items were acted on during the Sept. 23 meeting with recorded roll-call votes. Highlights include: - Approval of minutes (motion passed; roll call recorded unanimous yes votes from council members who answered: Copeland, Drexel, Horton, Schauerman, Winarski, Bale, Scatella). - Motion to table old business item A (motion passed; roll call recorded majority yes votes). - First read (no vote) of Ordinance No. 42 20 25: 2025 supplemental appropriation to the Mental Health/Intellectual Disabilities fund for $1,273,322 in additional 2025 revenue. - First read (no vote) of Resolution No. 21 20 25: appointment affirmed to perform comprehensive single audit for Erie County for year ending 12/31/2025. - First read (no vote) of Resolution No. 23 20 25: approval of a lease extension agreement (five-year) with Metro Center Incorporated for the Erie County Office of Drug and Alcohol (later approved by roll call). - Possible appointments approved by roll call: Junius Johnson to the Erie County Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commission (term to 12/31/2028); Sarah L. Bennett, MS, to the Erie County Library Advisory Board (partial term to 12/31/2025). - Possible appointment to Erie County Housing Authority: Deontay Cooley (motion passed; roll-call votes included one recorded “No” from Drexel). - Possible sale of a parcel from the repository for unsold property at index number 140100360 (motion passed by roll call).
Council members repeatedly told residents they were listening and that some measures are limited by legal or procedural constraints, including pending court matters that prevent immediate council action in some cases. Council members also encouraged community participation in upcoming budget hearings beginning Oct. 1 and in public caucus meetings held before regular council sessions.
The council did not adopt the draft resolution read into the record and said further work on the text would continue; council members indicated they hoped to reach language that could gain sufficient support in future meetings. Several residents demanded faster, clearer action and an explicit commitment to community meetings and policy changes.
Ending: Council scheduled the next regular meeting for Oct. 7 and announced that finance and personnel committee meetings will meet Oct. 2. Meanwhile, residents who spoke at the Sept. 23 meeting said they intend to continue attending council meetings and pressing officials to act on the demands in the draft resolution.
