Death of a black man: questions remain in the mall of Alabama

Kim Chandler, Associated Press

Update

7:17 AM PST, Sunday 25 November 2018

The father of a black man killed by a police officer during a shooting in an Alabama mall said his son was allowed to carry a gun to defend himself, adding that it was a hurtful act that the police had originally described for his son. as a shooter.

"EJ" Bradford Jr., a 21-year-old man, was shot dead by the officer who responded to the Thanksgiving shootout that injured an 18-year-old man and a 12-year-old girl. Hoover police initially stated that she thought Bradford, who was carrying a handgun, was responsible for it, but that she later retracted it. They then stated that it was unlikely that Bradford fired.

Bradford's father, Emantic Bradford Sr., told The Associated Press Saturday night that the family wanted to know if there were any footage filmed by police from the police corps. The police did not confirm to AP if such images existed.

The Hoover Police captain, Gregg Rector, said that investigators now believe that more than two people are involved in the initial fight that preceded the shooting and that "at least one gunman" is still on the run and could be responsible. Police said that although Bradford Jr. "may have been involved in some aspects of the altercation, he probably did not shoot the cartridges that injured the 18-year-old victim." The rector said the police regretted that his initial statement about Bradford was not accurate and added that the shooting was still under investigation.

About 200 protesters marched Saturday night in the Riverchase Galleria mall in the suburbs of Birmingham and observed a minute of silence for Bradford at the location where he was killed.

The man-in-law's murderer, Cynthia Bradford, described her step-son, who went through E.J., as a respectful young man whose father was working in a jail for the Birmingham Police Department. She also said about the first police account: "We knew it was wrong."

Unanswered questions about the shooting sparked emotions in the suburbs of Birmingham's largely black city.

The Saturday protesters included several parents and they chanted "E.J" and "no justice, no peace" as they walked in front of the Christmas shoppers at the mall.

Family members shared their horror of discovering through social media that Bradford was dead. The video circulated on Bradford's social media stretched in a pool of blood on the floor of the mall.

Bradford's father called his son "a good boy, a very good boy."

Bradford Sr. stated that his son had a license to carry a weapon in self-defense. He said that he did not know exactly what had happened at the mall, but he added, "They were so quick to judge, I knew my son was not doing it. rushed to judgment, they should not have done it.

Carlos Chaverst, an activist in Birmingham who staged Saturday's protest, said that when authorities acknowledged that the person killed was not the shooter, "it sent us an uproar".

He added that other events would be held in the future to hold officials accountable.

"When we learned about the existence of this incident, we were asked questions during the jump, people were unhappy that one man had been shot dead by the police in our own backyard," he said. did he declare.

The incident began Thanksgiving night with a brawl and gunfire in the Riverchase Galleria, a crowded shopping mall of black Friday bargain hunters, according to authorities. An 18-year-old man was hit twice and a 12-year-old woman was hit in the back. Hoover police said Friday morning that the girl was in a stable state.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is investigating the incident since it involves a shootout involving an officer. The Hoover Police Department conducts its own internal investigation.

The officer who shot Bradford was put on administrative leave while the authorities were investigating the shooting. The name of the agent has not been made public. The officer was not injured.

The video posted on the social networks by the buyers shows a chaotic scene during which the buyers fled.

Lexi Joiner, a witness, told Al.com that she was shopping with her mother when the shots began. Joiner said he had heard six or seven shots and was ordered, along with other buyers, to a food cupboard to go to the shelter.

"It was terrifying," said Joiner.

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Chevel Johnson, associate editor of the Associated Press in New Orleans, contributed to this report.