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Family demands answers after man dies after Chester police encounter; city requests independent DA review
Summary
At the Sept. 10 Chester City Council meeting, family members and residents pressed for accountability after the fatal police encounter that left Nathan Blackwell dead; a city official said he reviewed body-camera footage and requested an independent review by the district attorney's special investigations unit.
At the City of Chester council meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 10, family members and residents demanded answers after what they said was a police-involved death earlier that week. Melissa Williams, who identified herself as a cousin of the man who died, said Nathan Blackwell was killed by Chester police on Friday around 6:30 p.m., and she accused officers of using excessive force.
“Why are they still able to work and I have to bury my cousin?” Melissa Williams said during public comment. “I am going to fight for my cousin.”
Deputy Mayor West acknowledged the family’s grief and deferred to Commissioner Blackwell, who told the council he had personally reviewed body-worn camera footage related to the incident and had asked the district attorney’s special investigation unit to conduct an independent review.
“I have formally requested that the district attorney’s office special investigation unit conduct an independent review of the footage,” Commissioner Blackwell said. “I respectfully ask that we allow this investigation to run its full course so the facts can be presented clearly and fairly.”
Members of the public raised questions about the timeline and the availability of official reports. Melissa Williams said she had not seen a police report and asked why officers involved had not been suspended pending review. “There has never been a police officer at that hospital. There’s still no report. This happened Friday,” she said, pressing officials for answers.
Other residents at the meeting described community tensions and distrust of police; earlier public commenters connected the death to broader concerns about policing and public safety in Chester.
The commissioner’s statement and the city’s request to the district attorney’s special investigations unit indicate the review will be conducted outside the city’s internal chain of command. The council did not take any formal vote or issue policy changes at the meeting related to the incident.
The investigation’s outcome and any departmental actions will depend on the district attorney’s unit and any additional internal administrative reviews. Family members at the meeting said they would continue to press for accountability.
Ending: The independent investigation by the district attorney’s office was requested at the Sept. 10 meeting; city officials asked the public to allow that process to run. Family members said they will remain engaged with the case until they see results.
