The State College NAACP issued a new statement Thursday condemning the State College Police Department for allegedly withholding “critical information” surrounding the death of Osaze Osagie, a Black man shot by an officer in March 2019.

The allegations were made public Monday when Osagie’s family filed a new lawsuit claiming the former State College police officer who shot their son was “mentally unstable and violent” and “unfit for duty” when he was assigned to go to Osagie’s apartment the day of the shooting.

The suit also claimed a now-retired police captain received information about former officer M. Jordan Pieniazek’s alleged “excessive drinking and domestic abuse” and did not take steps to ensure he was fit for duty in the days leading up to Osagie’s shooting.

“Our community citizens have repeatedly called for justice and truth from the SCPD and the District Attorneys’ [sic] office,” the State College NAACP wrote. “In light of this new information, their promise of transparency rings hollow and false.”

On Wednesday, the borough responded to the Osagie family’s amended lawsuit and claimed it contained “false claims and half-truths.” State College Mayor Ron Filippelli and Borough Manager Tom Fountaine said the borough didn’t withhold any information about the shooting.

“This amended complaint, like the original complaint before, contains false claims, and half-truths, while also leaving out critical facts and context to understanding the incident, the background and the persons involved,” Filippelli and Fountaine wrote in a joint statement.

The State College NAACP called the borough’s response “insulting and shameful.”

“The administration is ultimately responsible for its subordinates,” the chapter wrote. “Hiring outside agencies to investigate the case does not exonerate the administration from its responsibility to protect vulnerable citizens and their rights.”

The State College NAACP called for the resignation of “all officers involved” in Osagie’s death, including Fountaine, Chief of Police John Gardner, Police Captain Christian Fishel, and District Attorney Bernie Cantorna.

“The behaviors of these individuals are consistent with the widespread patterns of injustice and racialized policing we see everywhere in America,” the State College NAACP wrote. “Our responsibilities to our community are clear: we must continue to organize, mobilize and fight against police brutality and racial injustice. We call upon our fellow citizens to join us in holding all those that are responsible for the death of Osaze fully and unconditionally accountable.”

Pieniazek, along with Sgt. Christopher Hill and Lt. Keith Robb, arrived at 29-year-old Osagie’s Old Boalsburg Road apartment on March 20, 2019, to serve a mental health warrant. Osagie’s father, Sylvester, contacted police a day earlier for help finding his son after receiving text messages from him suggesting that there would be “trouble” with the police “in a little bit” that may result in his death. He believed Osagie, who had a history of mental illness, may have been off his medication.

After allegedly yelling “shoot me, kill me,” according to a previous filing in the case by the borough, Osagie held a serrated knife in his hand as he charged at the officers in the narrow basement hallway outside his apartment. Hill deployed a Taser, but it was ineffective and then Pieniazek fatally shot Osagie while retreating backward.

All three officers involved in Osagie’s death were cleared of wrongdoing by Cantorna following a state police investigation. He said the officers were in a “life-or-death situation” and attempted to back away when Osagie charged at them with a knife. The state police Heritage Affairs Section found racial bias did not play a role in the shooting of Osagie.

StateCollege.com’s Geoff Rushton contributed to this report.