TROY – The Troy African American Pastoral Alliance wants the district attorney to recuse his office from investigating a police-involved shooting in the North Central neighborhood and wants the city to outfit officers with body cameras.

The Aug. 15 wounding of alleged parole absconder Dahmeek McDonald, 22, at Eighth and Rensselaer streets during a traffic stop by police, has angered many in the city’s minority community. McDonald was wounded in the shoulder and temple by Officer Jarrod Iler, police said. The participation of the FBI, the State Police and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in the city police investigation of the shooting is a positive step, the pastors said Friday.

The revs. Charles Burkes and Jackie Robinson Sr. said District Attorney Joel Abelove needs to hand off the investigation to a special prosecutor. They said it’s important the community have confidence in the conduct of the investigation. They said they don’t think that’s possible in this instance due to Abelove’s handling of the fatal April 2016 police shooting of Edson Thevenin.

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman's office is investigating Abelove’s involvement in the case. The matter was presented to a county grand jury within five days of Sgt. Randall French’s shooting of Thevenin. The grand jury did not return an indictment.

Abelove issued a statement earlier this week in which he appeared to reject recusing his office from the McDonald case. A spokesman for Abelove could not be reached for comment Friday.

The pastoral alliance wants to meet with Abelove next week.

As a result of meeting the pastors held Thursday with Mayor Patrick Madden and Chief John Tedesco, the city is restarting its program to have police officers issued body cameras. John Salka, a spokesman for Madden, said the administration will draft policy for wearing the cameras and will seek the Troy Police Benevolent Association’s approval to begin the program. The body camera concept has been held up due to the city not writing the required rules.

Salka said the city will seek grants to pay for body cameras, the software and computer storage space necessary for their operation. The digital cameras would be worn by officers and record their interaction with the public.

Friday afternoon, John Cooper led a community picnic two blocks from the shooting scene. About 30 people initially gathered at the Tenth Street park. Cooper, who is known in the neighborhood as Messiah, had said it would be a rally to inform residents about developments. It then evolved into the picnic.

Cooper has been passionate in questioning the administration’s handling of the investigation. He also backed the pastors’ position on Abelove.

Frank Mayben, who attended the picnic, said the FBI assisting in the investigation had to happen. He said the shooting is uniting the community.

“It took something like this to happen to bring us together,” said Mayben, who is a volunteer coach in North Central youth activities. He said the community has to concentrate on education and involvement.