Attorney: Deadly force not justified

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WALA) - The attorney for 18-year-old Gil Collar's family sent his own investigators to look at the surveillance video from the night the student was shot.

Jere Beasley with the Beasley Allen law firm out of Montgomery said he wants to know exactly what happened before any lawsuits are even considered.

Collar's parents held hands and fought back tears as Beasley spoke about their son's death.

Beasley said, "I can tell you, without reservation, nothing we saw in the videotape justified the use of deadly force in this case."

The Mobile County Sheriff's office said on the morning of Saturday, October 6, Collar charged USA Police Officer Trevis Austin. Collar was naked, and the sheriff's office believes he had ingested LSD.

Click here to read statement from the Beasley Allen Law Firm.

During the confrontation, Austin shot Collar in the chest, killing him.

So the family hired the Beasley Allen law firm to investigate.

Beasley said, "The fact that he came to the police station indicates that he was not necessarily looking for trouble. In fact, I think he was looking for help."

The law firm has six former police officers on the case. They've conducted interviews and reviewed the surveillance tape.

"We were told this was not carried out in a manner that indicates proper training,” said Beasley.

Beasley is shocked USA officers do not carry tasers; and his team said the officer had access to a baton and pepper spray. Beasley said he feels those would've been better options.

Beasley said, "There was never any contact between Gil and the officer. There was never any close proximity."

But Beasley said the actual shooting was out of range from the surveillance cameras.

The attorney stressed they're only doing an investigation right now. After this, the family will decide what to do next.

Beasley said it's possible after the investigation they could learn this shooting was justified.

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"There’s always that possibility,” said Beasley. “But I'd have to have information from all the folks, people down there, who've been investigating on their side, and that's not the impression I get from them at this point."

But despite it all, the family has a message for Officer Austin.

Beasley said, "They forgive the officer. They've been praying for him. They realize that he's having a difficult time also right now. They do very strongly at this point blame the University of South Alabama for the manner in which the officers are trained."

Beasley said depending on their findings, the family could choose to file a lawsuit or not.

But ultimately, Beasley hopes that campus police training methods are changed as a result of this, and the family doesn't want anyone else to go through this.