County won't pay for burial of African man shot by Maryland Cop

The family of a Cameroonian immigrant killed last month in a police shooting expressed disappointment Tuesday that the county would not pay the expenses of sending the body back to his village. "It seems like the county is pulling back on all the assistance they were going to give us," said Julius Oben, a cousin of Peter Ayompeuh Njang, who was shot Aug. 12 by a police officer after he allegedly threatened her with a box-cutter. Oben said the family faces a $7,000 bill to fly Njang's body to the central African nation, as well as a $26,500 hospital bill. The county had offered the family $1,500, but Oben said the family was told if they spent more than that, the county would offer nothing. A lawsuit is pending on behalf of Njang who was gunned down by Montgomery County police last month. Police say that Njang approached officers with box cutters, witnesses say otherwise. [more ]