Family of slain USA student continues investigation, may sue

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - An attorney for the family of USA Freshman Gil Collar said his office is completing its investigation into the teen’s death in a fatal police-involved shooting earlier this month.

Eighteen-year-old Collar was shot and killed by a University of South Alabama Police Officer, after authorities said the teen acted erratically and confronted the officer while in the nude.

Family attorney Jere Beasley said, based on the investigation so far, it is likely the family will file suit.

“Without a doubt, the officer involved violated the rules and the standards,” said Beasley. “He should not have used the weapon.”

He said the officer violated USA standards and procedure by using lethal force. He claims, contrary to earlier reports, the officer had access to his baton and pepper spray at the time of the incident.  

Beasley said his office also has serious doubts that Collar was on LSD at the time, as first reported by the Mobile County Sheriff's Office.

Beasley told FOX10 that after interviewing a number of USA students, drug experts and local law enforcement officers, he believes Collar instead smoked marijuana that may have been laced. He said his investigation and interviews have also revealed no drugs were bought or taken during Bayfest.

Mobile County District Attorney Ashley Rich said her office is waiting for toxicology test results.

“We can speculate about a number of drugs,” Rich said. “There are some people that say because he was naked that he's on bath salts. We've heard reports that he was on LSD. I mean, we don't know. It may come back that he wasn't on anything.”

Meantime, Beasley says the family will likely make their final decision by next week.

Authorities say it ultimately comes down to one question: was the appropriate action taken?

Rich said her office is working to answer that question on its own.

“We have reached out to the victim's family to meet with them on two occasions but they have not wanted to meet with us, so we're moving forward with our investigation,” said Rich.