Mobile citizens react to officer involved shooting

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) -People across Mobile are still coming to terms with yesterday’s officer-involved shooting that left a 16-year-old dead on Sheringham Drive.

“I’m not outraged, I’m not in disbelief I’m just a little bit congested. I’m tired of seeing these same acts continuously happen,” said Tim Hollis.

Hours after the shooting, Mayor Sandy Stimpson issued a statement saying he was immediately banning pre-dawn search warrants unless one is needed to protect human life. Some feel it’s a step in the right direction.

“They have to be eliminated, eradicated, they serve no purpose, and it was a good point made earlier,” said Mobile NAACP President Robert Clopton. “Why raid a home with guns drawn when there are children in the premises?”

The city council is also currently working on an ordinance that would hopefully make it easier for people involved in police confrontations to see body cam video. While the ordinance will be worked on over the next week, the idea did draw mixed reactions from some speakers.

“It needs to be changed to the extent that they have to,” said Clopton. “There are so many loopholes in that particular ordinance.”

“Anytime that we can go back and look at legislation and amend it for the safety for the community it’s a great deal,” added Hollis.

After multiple police-involved incidents this year several people say they want to see change soon.

“You’ve got to know who you hire in your department. They need to be held accountable for their actions,” said Leonard Whitfield. “It’s got to change and the thing about it we got to quit talking about it and we got to be about it.”

“It needs to be some type of committee or body within this city that can actually make that change or make those requests to review what’s going on,” said Hollis.

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