Family Seeks Answers After Student is Fatally Shot by Alabama Police Officer

An independent autopsy revealed that there was no exit wound or bullet found in the body of Jabari Peoples, an 18-year-old Black college freshman who was shot fatally by a police officer in Alabama. This information was provided by the family’s lawyer, Ben Crump, during a press conference. Crump called for state officials and the Homewood Police Department to release body camera footage of the incident that occurred on June 23, emphasizing the need for transparency to explain why Peoples, a promising student majoring in computer information systems and criminal justice, was killed. According to the Homewood Police Department, the officer approached a vehicle in which Peoples was a passenger because he detected a smell believed to be marijuana.

While recreational cannabis use is illegal in Alabama, medical marijuana is permitted. The situation escalated as the officer ordered Peoples and his girlfriend to exit the vehicle. Upon attempting to arrest Peoples for unlawful possession of a controlled substance, a physical struggle ensued, leading to the officer being knocked to the ground, during which Peoples allegedly reached for a handgun. However, Peoples’ girlfriend told family members and Crump that he was unarmed at the time.

She stated they were approached by an unidentified individual in an unmarked vehicle without lights or sirens and that they complied with the officer’s orders. Amid community outrage and calls for accountability, Peoples’ father expressed grief and requested clarity regarding the circumstances that led to his son’s death. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is currently investigating the incident and stated that releasing the footage could impact its inquiry. This response contradicted the police department’s earlier claims about coordinating a viewing of the video with the family.

Crump highlighted the importance of releasing the footage to raise awareness about the events surrounding Peoples’ death, adding pressure for justice on behalf of the family, who felt neglected in the aftermath of the tragedy.