The community of Indianola, Mississippi has called for the firing of a police officer who shot an 11-year-old boy who called 911 for assistance, reports NBC News.
Aderrien Murry was severely wounded after suffering a gunshot to his chest by an Indianola officer. Murry called the police to help his mother during a domestic disturbance.
Carlos Moore, the family’s attorney, said that Murry is lucky to be alive after surviving the horrific shooting.
“This should not have happened,” Moore said. “The main question Aderrien has been asking is, 'Why did this happen to me?' The child suffered a collapsed lung, lacerated liver and fractured ribs. … He’s blessed to have survived but he’s still in pain emotionally and mentally.”
Moore also stated that he’s in the process of obtaining body camera footage of the shooting and urged lawmakers to “take action to address police reform and accountability.”
“We must demand justice for this young boy and his family,” the lawyer said. “We cannot allow another senseless tragedy like this to occur. We must come together as a community to demand change and accountability from our law enforcement officials.”
In an interview on CNN, Nakala Murry, Aderrien’s mother said that the officer arrived at their residence with “his gun drawn at the front door and asked those inside the home to come outside.”
“Once [Aderrien] came from around the corner, he got shot,” the boy’s mother said. “I cannot grasp why,” she recalled. “The same cop that told him to come out of the house. He did, and he got shot. He kept asking, ‘Why did he shoot me? What did I do wrong?'”
On Thursday, protesters held a rally at the Indianola City Hall to demand justice and accountability from the police department.
In response to the incident, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation has launched an investigation.
“No officers were injured during the incident. A minor occupant of the residence received significant injuries and has been transported to a local hospital,” it said. ”MBI is currently assessing this critical incident and gathering evidence. Upon completing the investigation, agents will share their findings with the Attorney General’s Office.”
Although the officer's name was not released by the MIB or the police department, it was reported that Greg Capers was the officer in question.
Marvin Elder an alderman of Indianola said that Officer Greg Capers was placed on paid administrative leave by the Indianola Council following a unanimous vote.
