The attorneys for a Black man a police officer recently shot in Shreveport, Louisiana, are calling for the body camera footage to be released.
National civil rights attorney Bakari Sellers said Fleen Myles IlI’s family wants clarity.
“Nearly a month has passed since Fleen Myles III was killed, and the Shreveport Police Department still hasn’t released the body camera video or addressed any of the serious concerns raised by Fleen’s family or this community,” Sellers said in a Dec. 1 statement. “If Chief Smith and the SPD want this community to trust them, they need to release the video now.”
The fatal shooting is currently under investigation by Louisiana State Police detectives at the request of the local police department. Earlier this week, an LSP spokesperson told Atlanta Black Star that “all reports and video evidence will be delivered to the Caddo Parish District Attorney’s Office at the conclusion of the investigation.”
The incident happened the morning of Sunday, Nov. 5, when a Shreveport police officer conducted a traffic stop at the 2700 block of Marquette Avenue, according to a press release.
The passenger inside the vehicle, later identified as Myles, ran away on foot and allegedly “produced a handgun” when the pursuit ended, which led the officer to open fire. The man was hit and transported to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. The officer wasn’t wounded.
Based on the details made public thus far, it’s unclear if Myles tried to shoot the cop during the incident. According to KTAL, bystanders claimed he didn’t have a weapon on him.
“All this family is asking for is justice,” Sellers added. “They just want the truth, and they’ve waited long enough to get it.”
In a tribute wall, loved ones sent condolences to Myles’ family and described him as a person “who always had a great spirit.”
