Alabama Police Chief Acknowledges Violation of Policies in Fatal Shooting of Stephen Perkins

Police – Accident – Death – Obituary News : New Developments in Investigation of Fatal Alabama Police Shooting

Decatur, Alabama – The Decatur Police Department has completed its internal investigation into the fatal shooting of Steve Perkins on September 29, according to Police Chief Todd Pinion. The incident, which occurred during a dispute between Perkins and a tow truck driver, has sparked regular protests in the north Alabama city.

Chief Pinion stated that he believes department policies were violated during the incident but did not provide specific details about which policies were breached. In a statement released on Friday, he said, “I found reason to believe that policies were violated and the final report and findings were sent to the Legal Department and outside counsel late this afternoon to prepare the formal documents to move forward the discipline process.”

The city’s mayor will now conduct a review and make a final determination on whether disciplinary action is warranted and to what extent. The officer who fired the shots remains on administrative leave, and the department has not disclosed the officer’s name or race.

The shooting was captured on video by a neighbor’s home surveillance camera and published by WAFF, a local news outlet. The footage shows the tow truck backing into Perkins’ driveway, followed by an officer shouting, “Police, get on the ground,” and multiple shots being fired in quick succession. However, the department has not released any body-camera footage of the incident.

Perkins’ family has disputed the police version of events. Their attorney, who spoke to The Associated Press last month, stated that Perkins was not aware that officers were present before they opened fire. The family also claims that the payments for the truck were up to date, raising questions about why it was being repossessed.

In response to the new developments, Perkins’ brother, Nick Perkins, expressed a “slight sense of relief” that the police chief acknowledged policy violations. However, he criticized the length of the investigation, saying, “We’ve seen the cameras. We’ve seen the video footage.”

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is currently conducting its own investigation into the shooting. Chief Pinion acknowledged the pain caused by the incident and stated, “I recognize healing will not occur for many until after all information that can be released has been made public and all determinations on violation of policy and state law completed and potential litigation resolved.”

As the investigation continues, the community awaits further updates and hopes for transparency and accountability in this tragic case..