Louisiana authorities are investigating the deadly shooting of an unarmed Black man by a Shreveport officer and hope eventually to release police footage of the encounter, said state police leading a probe of the encounter.
Alonzo Bagley, 43, was shot and killed Friday night after police responded to a domestic disturbance at an apartment complex, Louisiana State Police said in a statement. When two officers arrived around 10:50 p.m. Friday, police said, Bagley jumped down from an apartment balcony and fled.
After a short foot pursuit, an officer “located Mr. Bagley as he rounded a building corner and fired one shot from his service weapon, which struck Mr. Bagley in the chest,” state police said. Bagley later was pronounced dead at a hospital, they said.
Detectives did not find any weapons on or near Bagley when they processed the scene, Louisiana State Police Superintendent Col. Lamar Davis said Monday.
Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith said he grieves “the loss of another life here in Shreveport.”
“When I received the call, my heart bled – as it (does) whenever a tragedy occurs here in our area. I responded immediately to the scene to find out as much as I could about what occurred,” Smith told reporters Monday.
“And as this family mourns, my heart bleeds, and I mourn also with them,” he said, adding, “We’ll do our very best to make sure that it doesn’t occur again.”
Investigators are reviewing body-worn and dashboard camera videos and hope to release them to the public but haven’t decided when, Davis said.
“I am asking for the community to remain patient as we continue to conduct a very thorough investigation,” Davis said. “Transparency in the investigation is a priority for our agency.”
Bagley’s shooting death – and Davis’ plea for the public’s calm – come as police use of force against people of color, particularly Black Americans, is under intense scrutiny nationwide. It also follows by about a month the brutal beating death caught on tape of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, by Memphis officers conducting what police said was a traffic stop.
Last year, four Louisiana troopers and another law enforcement officer were indicted on charges stemming from the in-custody killing of 49-year-old Ronald Greene, a Black man violently beaten by officers during an arrest.
Bagley’s family has hired an attorney following his killing by an officer, according to a statement from Haley and Associates.
“Our office will walk through this process with the Bagley family to ensure transparency and accountability,” the statement said. “Attorney Ron Haley believes accountability will result in consequences in both civil and criminal courts.”
“This process does take time; witness statements are still being obtained and evidence is currently being analyzed,” state police said in its statement. “At the appropriate time, further information will be released in coordination with the Caddo Parish District Attorney’s Office.”
While the investigation continues, “I’m quite sure that within the coming days, within the coming weeks, there will be more details that we will know about the incident and be able to further elaborate on it,” Smith said.
“But you can rest assure(d) that a thorough investigation will take place. The facts without a doubt will be uncovered and revealed, and whatever actions that need to be taken.”
CNN’s Aya Elamroussi and Holly Yan contributed to this report.