The family of 18-year-old college student Jabari Peoples is demanding answers and accountability following his fatal shooting by a police officer in Homewood, Alabama, on the night of June 23.
According to the family, they were not notified of Peoples’ death until after an autopsy had already been performed — and they say the official version of events shared by police does not align with what really happened.
“We have not received a full incident report. We have not been given footage. We have not heard one word of explanation from the Homewood Police Department,” the family said in a statement posted on Facebook on June 24.
Some relatives even learned of Peoples’ death through the news. Family attorney Leroy Maxwell Jr. told local outlet WBRC that Jabari’s father was watching television and saw a story about a young man killed by police — unaware the report was about his own son.
Conflicting Accounts
The Homewood Police Department released an initial statement on June 24, claiming that an officer was investigating a “suspicious vehicle” near the Homewood Soccer Complex around 9:30 p.m. when one of the occupants engaged in a physical altercation and produced a handgun, prompting the officer to open fire.
A follow-up statement on June 25 added more detail. Police said the officer smelled marijuana and asked both occupants to exit the vehicle. According to the statement, Peoples was the driver. The officer allegedly saw a handgun in the door pocket and attempted to arrest him for unlawful possession. Police claim that Peoples resisted, broke away during the struggle, retrieved the handgun, and was shot once by the officer in self-defense.
Peoples was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.
The other person in the car — identified by the family’s lawyer as Peoples’ girlfriend — fled the scene but returned shortly after. Backup officers arrived within 90 seconds and began medical aid, the statement said.
However, the family disputes nearly every part of the police account.
In their statement, they said Peoples “was not armed,” “was not aggressive,” and “did not resist.” They also claim the officer was in an unmarked car with no lights or visible identification.
“Jabari complied — and within seconds, he was taken to the ground and shot,” the family wrote. “A witness was present. That person saw everything. There was no weapon. There was no threat.”
Bodycam Footage and Investigation
Homewood police say the incident was captured on body-worn camera, and that the video is now with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), which is handling the investigation. The department said arrangements are being made to allow Peoples’ family to view the footage.
“This sequence of events, resulting in the loss of life, is tragic and we empathize with Mr. Peoples’ family as they grieve,” HPD said.
But attorney Maxwell said the family has received no real communication from law enforcement.
“What they’ve done so far is a charade,” Maxwell told WBRC. “If this video shows what we think it’s going to show, then Homewood and law enforcement need to be prepared to take accountability.”
Family Claims Mistreatment
In their statement, the family also expressed outrage over how the situation was handled in the aftermath of Jabari’s death. They say they were not contacted by police or medical personnel in the 12 hours following his death. They only learned of the shooting from the coroner — after the autopsy had already taken place.
“We were denied the right to identify him. We were denied the right to be present. We were denied basic dignity,” they wrote.
“Jabari was a college student. He had a family. He had a future. He was unarmed. He complied. And now he’s gone.”
The family has vowed to seek justice: “We will pursue this case until the truth is fully exposed and justice is served — not only for Jabari, but for every family who’s been forced to bury a loved one without answers.”
As of June 28, neither the Homewood Police Department nor ALEA has responded to further media inquiries.
