Autopsy Report Delayed for Teen Shot by Police in Alabama
The autopsy report for Jabari Peoples, an 18-year-old college student who was shot by a police officer in Alabama, is complete. However, the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office has delayed its public release because of an ongoing investigation into his death on June 23 in Homewood.
Officials stated that the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency requested the report be held back while they continue their investigation. This news comes as family and friends prepared to hold a public funeral viewing for Jabari on July 11, with a celebration of his life scheduled for July 12.
In addition, the city of Homewood has filed a petition to dismiss a request from Jabari’s family to release incident reports and evidence, including police body camera footage. The family’s attorney, Leroy Maxwell, emphasized the need for transparency, saying the family deserves to know the truth about what happened.
On the night of the shooting, police described the incident as an “officer-involved shooting.” As per their statement, an officer encountered a suspicious vehicle near an athletic complex and attempted to remove the occupants. During this interaction, they claim Jabari, who was driving, engaged in a physical altercation with the officer and allegedly produced a handgun.
The police department later provided additional details, stating that after noticing a gun in the vehicle, the officer sought to arrest Jabari for marijuana possession. In the struggle, the officer was knocked to the ground, and Jabari is said to have reached for the handgun, prompting the officer to fire in self-defense.
Family members, however, contended that Jabari was not armed, did not act aggressively, and cooperated with the officer. They insist that he was shot without provocation and that a witness corroborates their version of events.
