The Mississippi officer who shot an 11-year-old after responding to his 911 call is suspended without pay.
Yesterday (June 13), CNN reported that a motion was filed at an Indianola Board of Aldermen meeting on Monday (June 12) night. The proposal intended to suspend Sgt. Greg Capers without pay, effective immediately. The motion passed 4-1.
Initially, authorities placed Capers on administrative leave after his involvement in a shooting that left Aderrien Murry hospitalized. After the ruling, Michael Carr, Capers’ attorney, spoke with the outlet. “We were not made aware of the meeting or given the opportunity to speak or give our side,” the lawyer said. “Let me be clear; the decision to change Officer Capers’ status from leave with pay to leave without pay is no reflection on the merit of the alleged criminal charges against him.”
As REVOLT previously mentioned, in late May, Aderrien’s mother, Nakala Murry, asked him to call 911 after the father of one of her other children appeared at her home. Nakala informed CNN that Capers responded to the call. She alleged that when he arrived and approached the house, his gun was drawn. The officer told everyone inside the home to come out. According to Nakala, Capers shot Aderrien as he made his way from the hallway into the living room.
In a later interview, Aderrien and Nakala detailed the moment he was shot in the chest. The 11-year-old revealed he began praying and singing the gospel song “No Weapon” by Fred Hammond. Aderrien also shared that he asked his mom to tell his teachers and family he was “sorry for what he did” because he thought he would die.
First responders took the young boy to the hospital where he required a chest tube and was placed on a ventilator. Per Nakala, Aderrien developed a collapsed lung, fractured ribs, and a lacerated liver. Since then, Aderrien’s family has filed a $5 million lawsuit. The suit alleges excessive force, negligence, reckless endangerment, and civil assault and battery, among other counts. Meanwhile, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is currently looking into the case. They have Capers’ bodycam footage.