Community reacts to police body cam footage of Stephen Perkins shooting being leaked
DECATUR, Ala. (WHNT) — The community in Decatur is speaking out after the police body cam video of the night Stephen Perkins was killed was leaked.
Perkins was killed by police on September 29th following an incident surrounding a vehicle repossession.
Website releases body camera video of Perkins shooting
Supporters of the Perkins family gathered for a demonstration Wednesday night in Decatur with some feeling the video confirmed what they already knew about the shooting.
Community members believe the leaked body cam footage confirms how Perkins was ambushed and murdered at the hands of police in a shooting they think could’ve been avoided.
Demonstrators say that footage reignited their desire to see Decatur Police Chief Todd Pinion step down stating the officers carried out an unjust shooting under his watch.
Some felt the video should’ve been released by the proper authority but despite that, Morgan County NAACP President Rodney Gordon tells News 19 he felt it was incriminating for those officers.
Perkins family releases statement after body cam footage leaked
“There’s some things on that body cam that we didn’t even know that was revealed and showed to us,” Gordon said. “For instance, the police officers were there when the tow truck pulled up. When the officers met with the tow truck driver at Poole Valley road, that’s where the plot took place, that’s where everything was planned,” he explained.
A number of Perkins supporters are disturbed by some of the things they saw on that video and feel it’s why people of color fear for their lives on a daily basis.
Supporters of the family like Danny Saafiyah explained how Perkins could not see those officers when he came out of his home because they were hiding. He says community members who saw the footage should be alarmed by what that body cam footage showed them.
“If anybody thinks that is right, if anybody thinks that you can sit here and say that was justified for Steve to be killed in front of his own home, in front of his own property looking after his car, then they need to look in the mirror and ask themselves am I on the right said of history? Am I on the right side of justice?” Saafiyah said.
Perkins supporters tell News 19 the fight is far from over calling it a marathon they’re prepared to take part in all in the name of justice for Stephen Perkins.
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