Advertisement Officer who shot Zach Hammond terminated, police say Chief says it is due to a personnel mater Share Shares Copy Link Copy

The officer involved in the Zachary Hammond case has been terminated from the Seneca Police Department, Seneca Police Chief John Covington said.Lt. Mark Tiller shot 19-year-old Zachary Hammond at about 8:30 p.m. on July 26, 2015, in the parking lot of Hardee's on Bypass 123 in Seneca. It happened during an undercover drug sting that targeted Tori Diana Morton, 23, who was a passenger in Hammond’s car.Tiller was recorded on surveillance video shooting Hammond, who was unarmed, through the open window of Hammond’s car as he drove out of the parking lot. Local officials said Hammond tried to hit Tiller with his car and was trying to evade officers when he was shot. Critics of the shooting and Tiller's supporters have interpreted the surveillance video in vastly different ways.Dashcam video of shooting | Slow-motion version of dash camCovington said Tiller's final day on the payroll will be Friday, September 9th, and that he cannot release any other information because it is a personnel matter.In response to the announcement of Tiller's termination, the attorneys for Hammond's parents released a statement that said in part:For reasons not provided although speculation is abound, Chief Covington made the admirable decision to terminate Lt. Tiller’s employment. For that we all are grateful and we want to let Chief Covington know that we appreciate his decision. After Zachary’s death, the Hammonds placed their faith in the justice system and were hoping that Lt. Tiller was going to have to answer for his actions and the decisions he made which resulted in such a senseless death. With each passing day the Hammonds never lost hope that Lt. Tiller would in the future never again have the highest honor of serving the public as a police officer, wear the uniform and carry a weapon. It appears that today is such a day. The Hammonds are not happy for what has happened. It is just another step in the long journey they will have for the remainder of their lives to try and make sense of the senseless.