Jennings said he is bothered by the way the town Police Department and the Town Council have responded to the incident.

"They say that their goal is transparency, and then there is all this police secrecy," Jennings said.

He said the lack of public information is not fair to Cook and her family, and it is not helpful to the Police Department.

"It casts a shadow over all the officers," Jennings said. "The public should not have to worry that the police constitute a danger to the public."

Jennings said he started the Facebook page and petition drive because there are too many unanswered questions about the incident and because of the lack of information released regarding the shooting. He is upset that the investigation into the shooting has taken so long and has been handed off from the state police to the special prosecutor to the investigative grand jury.

"I'm not trying to gather a lynch mob," he said. "I just want to make sure our officials are really protecting us. Without the facts, how can the citizens be certain this won't be repeated?"

Donnie Johnston:
Email: djohnston@freelancestar.com