Particle.news

Download on the App Store

Alabama DA Clears Officer in Teen’s Fatal Shooting, No Charges Filed

Investigators say the privately screened video vindicates the officer’s account, prompting the family to demand full public release.

Vivian Sterling, center, and William Peoples stand with a photo of their son, Jabari Peoples, as attorney Ben Crump, far left, speaks to reporters during a press conference in Homewood, Ala., Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Kim Chandler)
Photos of Jabari Peoples, 18, are displayed at a press conference in Homewood, Ala., Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Kim Chandler)
Vivian Sterling, left, and William Peoples hold a photo of their son, Jabari Peoples, during a press conference in Homewood, Ala., Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Kim Chandler)
Image

Overview

  • Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr ruled the shooting justified after reviewing body-camera footage that shows Peoples armed during a struggle and reaching for a gun in his car.
  • The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency led the probe and privately delivered its findings and footage to the district attorney, saying public release would harm the investigation.
  • Family attorney Ben Crump says the family was shown only a brief, edited clip and insists on public release of the complete, unedited body-camera video.
  • Black Lives Matter and other activists have staged repeated protests in Homewood demanding full transparency, with several demonstrations resulting in arrests.
  • Peoples was an 18-year-old 2024 high school graduate and criminal justice student at Alabama A&M with ambitions of becoming a detective when he was shot in the back on June 23.