By Erica Wright
The Birmingham Times
Alabama State Rep. Terri A. Sewell is among the latest to release a statement condemning the shooting death of 21-year-old Emantic Bradford Jr. by a Hoover police officer Thanksgiving night at the Riverchase Galleria.
“Today I join with the community in calling for justice for E.J. and the other victims. The senseless tragedy that led to the death of Emantic ‘E.J.’ Bradford, Jr. must be thoroughly investigated and all the facts brought into the light,” said Sewell.
Late Monday, the Alabama NAACP announced a “Prayer and Justice Community Meeting for E.J. Bradford” for Tuesday night at 6 p.m. at the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church where Crump and the Bradford’s mother will be in attendance.
Also Monday, City of Hoover and Hoover Police Department officials released a joint statement on their respective Facebook pages saying they were “deeply and sincerely sympathetic to Mr. Bradford’s grieving family and all of those affected by this incident.”
They wrote: “We all want answers and we believe that with patience and focus, the truth will be firmly established. We want everyone who lives in, works in, works for, or visits Hoover to know that we are city that puts safety and respect in the highest regard for all citizens. We will be transparent throughout the course of this investigation.”
Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato held a press conference at 5 p.m. Monday but only read a prepared statement that mostly echoed the written statement earlier in the day. He would not answer questions.
Both entities also said they would update the public as well as other news media weekly about the incident as the investigation is ongoing.
The statements came as protesters on Monday night held rallies at the Galleria, the Hoover Police station and marched along Highway 31 where they stopped traffic at times.
Hoover city and police officials said they will continue to support ALEA in its investigation and pursue the initial shooter, who is still at large. They have also asked witnesses to come forward if they have any information about Thursday’s shooting.
ALEA issued a statement saying that its State Bureau of Investigation does not release information related to ongoing investigations. Once the SBI completes its investigation, the case will be turned over to the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, the statement said.
Following the Thanksgiving night shooting, Hoover Police mistakenly claimed Bradford has fired shots at the mall, injuring two other people: an 18-year-old male who was shot twice and a 12-year-old girl was wounded and later transported to Children’s of Alabama.
Sewell said that her heartfelt prayers are with E.J.’s family and all those injured and impacted by this tragic event. “As a community, we must insist that ALEA [Alabama Law Enforcement Agency], the Hoover Police Department and all law enforcement involved, conduct this investigation with the utmost transparency to the public,” said Sewell. “Tragedies like this one erode the public trust. Through accountability and transparency, it is my hope we can get to the truth of the events that transpired that evening and get justice for the victims.”
Law enforcement retracted their earlier statement after the investigation revealed Bradford was armed, but likely did not fire the initial shots that wounded the other two victims, they said.
Over the weekend, the Alabama State Conference of the NAACP also released a statement condemning the act as well and Bradford’s family has hired civil rights attorney and Trayvon Martin’s family lawyer, Benjamin Crump to represent them.
The officer who shot Bradford was placed on administrative leave while the ALEA investigates the shooting. The officer’s name has not been released publicly and no other officers were hurt.
