Police Say Victim Had Just Been Involved In Gunbattle; Witnesses Say He Was Shot In Back After Tossing Gun
posted July 2, 2009
A Chattanooga Housing Officer shot and killed a 15-year-old boy at East Lake Courts on Wednesday night, saying he was coming at him with a gun.
The mother of the victim, 15-year-old Alonzo O'Kelley Jr., told reporters that the shooting was unnecessary. She said her son had already thrown away his gun when the officer fired.
Some residents who said they witnessed the incident said the youth was shot in the back as he ran away after tossing the gun.
Lt. Erik Reeves of the Chattanooga Housing Authority's Public Safety Division said that he was on bike patrol around 8:40 p.m. in East Lake Courts when he heard shots fired. He said it sounded like the shots came from at least two different guns.
Lt. Reeves said he abandoned his bike to investigate when he came upon two men in a dispute. Upon seeing Lt. Reeves, the two men attempted to run into a nearby apartment but could not gain entry.
Lt. Reeves said it was at this time that he noticed that one of the suspects had a gun. He said he gave repeated commands to drop the gun, but the suspect instead raised his gun causing Lt. Reeves to fire at him.
The youth with the gun was taken to Erlanger Hospital, where he died of a single gunshot wound to the upper body. Another juvenile was taken into custody immediately after the shooting and is believed to be connected to the initial incident.
Investigators with the Chattanooga Police Department said they obtained information that O'Kelley and another juvenile were involved in a shooting incident in the 2600 block of 4th Avenue with several occupants of two vehicles just before Lt. Reeves encountered them.
Crime scene investigators recovered multiple shell casings believed to have been fired from the two vehicles and also recovered a gun believed to be O'Kelley's.
CHA Police Chief Felix Vest said the officer had to make a split-second decision while protecting residents at East Lake Courts.
The investigation into both shooting incidents will continue. Information will be released as details are confirmed.
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