On June 23, 18-year-old Jabari Peoples was shot and killed by a police officer in the parking lot of a soccer field in Homewood, Alabama, an affluent suburb near Birmingham. Now, Peoples’ family and other community members are demanding answers and justice.
According to the Associated Press, the Homewood Police Department claimed that the officer who shot Peoples did so because the victim grabbed a gun from a car door during a scuffle as the officer was trying to arrest him for marijuana possession. Leroy Maxwell Jr., an attorney for the family, which disputes the HPD’s version of events, said Peoples was shot in the back, and that a witness reported that he didn’t have a weapon at the time the officer approached him.
Meanwhile, WVTM 13 reports that a request by the family for the release of police bodycam footage of the deadly stop has been denied. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) said Tuesday that it denied the request, which it received Monday, because releasing the video could impact an ongoing investigation, an explanation that probably did little to soothe the concerns of family members or protesters — like the ones who gathered outside HBD headquarters to demand answers on Monday — since the “ongoing investigation” excuse seems to be the default copsplanation that allows police departments to avoid transparency until a time of their choosing.
The protest outside of the police precinct, which dozens reportedly attended, was not the only demonstration held to honor and demand justice for Jabari Peoples.
From AP:
Hundreds of people attended a vigil for Peoples at the soccer complex where he was shot. The family released doves and white balloons and brought in a large photo of Peoples with angel wings. Candles spelled out “Jabari” at the spot where he was killed.
Bron Peoples said his younger brother had a plan for his life and would write down his dreams for the future in a notebook. He said their parents had drilled into them how to behave when interacting with police. He said the family is “calling for justice.”
“The truth needs to come out. The truth has to come out. We need the truth,” he said. “We’ve got to continue to stand together so it won’t happen to anyone else’s brother, son, nephew, cousin. We got to stand together to make a change.”
According to the HPD, the police bodycam footage will, indeed, reveal the truth. Officials said the details surrounding the incident are “clearly captured” on the officer’s body camera, meaning the HPD’s side of the story will prove accurate.
We shall see…hopefully.
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Bodycam Footage Denied To Family Of Jabari Peoples, Who Was Shot And Killed By Alabama Police
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