Black man killed by police officer at Alabama mall was shot from behind, medical review says
The medical review was commissioned by the family of Emantic Bradford Jr
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The man killed by police in Alabama a case of mistaken identity on Thanksgiving night was shot three times from behind, his family’s attorney has said.
One 18-year-old and one 12-year-old were injured, and the police announced afterwards that an officer had shot and killed the shooter.
Later, in turned out that the black 21-year-old, who the cop had shot to death was an innocent bystander, Emantic Bradford Jr. The unnamed police officer, who was the only one to kill someone that night, is still employed and doing administrative work for the police department.
Now the family of Mr Bradford Jr. is seeking answers as an investigation into whether the shooting was justified proceeds. The family commissioned a medical review, which showed that Mr Bradford was shot three times from behind.
Mr Bradford had gunshot wounds near his hip, neck, and head. He also had a cut on his face, indicating he fell forward during the gunshots.
In a statement, the family’s lawyer Ben Crump calls the evidence from the pathology report “devastating and heartbreaking.” The fact that Mr Bradford was shot from behind indicates that he posed no threat to the police officer," Mr Crump said.
Mr Bradford’s family suggested that Mr Bradford was in fact assisting others to escape the mall. “If anything, the evidence corroborates the testimony of multiple witnesses who said EJ was trying to help others,” Mr Crump added.
The family has also called for the body cam footage of the police officer to be released so they know the context of the shooting. However, evidence will not yet be released to the public, the police department has stated, to preserve the integrity of the case.
Mr Bradford had a legal gun on him at the time of his death, and the police department claim that he had his hand on the firearm at the time he was shot.
Later, police apprehended another suspect named Erron Martez Dequan Brown, charging him with attempted murder of the 18-year-old during the mall shooting.
"The Council wants to formally express their regret for the misinformation provided to the public that later implicated E.J. Bradford, Jr. as the shooter in the November 22nd incident of violence," a statement from Hoover City Council said.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments