Almost exactly a year has passed since Emantic “E.J.” Bradford Jr was shot and killed by a Hoover, Alabama, police officer, after allegedly being mistaken for a gunman at a local mall.
Now, Bradford’s mother, April Pipkins, is suing the city of Hoover and the still-unidentified officer, claiming that the cop did not follow his training, did not issue verbal commands before shooting Bradford, did not confirm whether Bradford was a threat before firing the fatal shots, and also violated department policy by not having his body camera turned on, CNN reports.
The lawsuit, which was filed on Friday, also accuses the defendants of violating the Fourth and 14th Amendment and is seeking a jury trial, as well as unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, as well as attorney fees.
So far, in the fall out of the shooting, which also included a forensic pathologist hired by Bradford’s family ruling that the 21-year-old was shot three times in the back, the city of Hoover has stood firmly by its officer and is expected to continue doing so.
“The many allegations made against the city of Hoover in the days and weeks following the incident are false. After all evidence is presented, no wrongdoing by the city or any of our officers will be shown,” a statement from the city indicated.
Back in February, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said that the officer would not face criminal charges in the shooting, with Marshall also issuing a 24-page report detailing why the shooting was justified.