TUPELO — Tupelo’s mayor says he has asked the U.S. Department of Justice to lead a community meeting about the police shooting that killed a man two weeks ago.
Tupelo officials say Officer Tyler Cook shot 37-year-old Antwun “Ronnie” Shumpert in self-defense.
Shumpert’s family has sued the city. A protest Friday packed the lobby of City Hall.
Mayor Jason Shelton told the Daily Journal he’s asked the justice department’s community relations team to help.
“I personally have been either in personal or telephone contact with numerous community leaders every single day,” he said. “I’ve talked to numerous community leaders every day, trying to have a civil discourse.”
Police say Shumpert had fled a traffic stop.
Authorities should explain why he was stopped as a “good faith” effort to foster profitable dialogue, said Carlos Moore of Grenada, the family’s attorney.
“Go ahead and tell us the reason for the stop,” Moore said. “Tell us was there probable cause for the stop? Was this a legal stop or was this simply racial profiling?”
Cook is on administrative leave with pay, until the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation completes its investigation and a grand jury has heard the case.
Officials have said the hope the investigation will be done in three or four more weeks. The results will then be presented to a grand jury, which will decide if Cook should face criminal charges.
The next grand jury meets in September, but a special grand jury could be called sooner.
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