Man wielding hammer shot and killed by police

Not a fan of your chief, but to be honest, this is precisely what he should say. IF he comes out in support of the officers before the investigation is over, since you all investigate your own shootings, it is just opening the door to a federal criminal investigation of the officers involved. This is precisely why a chief should be low key about this until the investigation reaches its conclusion. (If you didn't investigate your own shootings, it would be a little different.)

Do you REALLY want to subject your fellow officers to the FBI investigating their shooting?