BILOXI, Miss — Noted Civil Rights Attorney Benjamin Crump has been retained by the family of a 15-year-old who was fatally shot by Gulfport Police on Oct. 6.
Jaheim McMillan was taken off of life support a couple of days after the shooting outside of a Family Dollar store.
Police had said that a group of people were reportedly pointing guns at passing cars and that police responded to the reports. When they pulled over the car they believed the suspects were in, Police Chief Andy Cooper said that the occupants of the car fled.
At some point, Cooper said, one or more officers came across an armed person.
“One of our officers engaged with an armed individual, shots were fired, the suspect was taken to the hospital with a gunshot wound," Cooper said.
Police said that several other teens were taken into custody and charged with aggravated assault.
Crump, along with family and friends of McMillan, said they would like answers, and they would especially like to see any video of the incident that police may have.
“We are calling for officials to release any and all video footage of the incident so that we can see with our own eyes what transpired on this tragic night,” said a statement from Crump.
McMillian had just started his freshman year at Gulfport High School, where school leaders say counseling services were available to students who need them on Monday.
Since the shooting, the story has spread across social media, including photos of McMillian in the hospital and a Facebook Live video of who appears to be McMillian lying on the ground motionless after being shot.