Governor Kay Ivey issued a statement Wednesday evening in response to growing pressure calling for the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) to release the police footage in the shooting death of Jabari Peoples.
According to Ivey, the footage would be turned over the local district attorney and shown to the family and "whoever else he deems appropriate" once the investigation is complete.
“The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency has made this case a top priority, and I am confident they are working to efficiently get this done," the governor said in a statement to multiple news outlets. "As soon as their investigation is complete, the body camera footage will be turned over to the local district attorney who will be able to show it to the family and whoever else he deems appropriate. It is important ALEA carefully and thoughtfully work this case, and I am confident the facts will prevail here.”
Peoples was shot by a Homewood police officer. The department put out a statement saying that the shooting was in self-defense, explaining that upon an attempt to arrest Peoples, "A physical struggle ensued, at which point the officer was knocked to the ground. Mr. Peoples broke away from the officer and retrieved the handgun from the open driver’s side door pocket, creating an immediate deadly threat to the officer. The officer, fearing for his safety, fired one round from his service weapon to defend himself, in accordance with Alabama state law (Title 13A-3-27(b2))."
Homewood Mayor Alex Wyatt and multiple elected officials have requested that ALEA allow the family to view the footage.
SEE: Homewood mayor calls for ALEA to allow family of Jabari Peoples to see body cam footage
"The details surrounding this incident are clearly captured on the officer's body worn camera, of which ALEA took possession," Homewood police have said.
Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr previously told AL(dot)com that it’s always been his policy to allow family members to see any available footage.
“Everybody knows I let the family see it, good, bad or indifferent, once I get it and review it,” he told the outlet.
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