After the death of 15-year-old Jahaim McMillin by a police officer in Gulfport, MississippiPolice Chief Adam Cooper held a press conference and explained in more detail what happened on Thursday, October 6.
Cooper says McMillan was “armed” and ignored orders to drop his weapon.
“One of the officers observed McMillan, who was armed. The officer ordered him to stop and drop the weapon, but McMillan did not comply.
Cooper continued:
McMillan turned to the officer and his body. The officer shot McMillin. McMillan was wounded by a bullet and fell.
The police chief also said the case is now in the hands of the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation and the footage will be released once it is completed.
An eyewitness says that the teenager allegedly raised his hands
H[is] hands were up. He was terribly frightened.
anonymous witness who was in the store at the time of the incidentcontinued to say:
From where I stood I looked up and Jaheim was moving slowly near the shop door; then boom, I saw at least five shots fired in this boy’s direction.
Continuing to detail what happened inside the store, the witness said:
Bullets were hitting all the windows and doors of the shop and this attracted everyone’s attention. I just saw his body fall and my heart just broke.
The witness also says that they did not see a weapon on McMillan during the shooting, which supports another eyewitness account wHo also said she did not see McMillan have a weapon during the shooting.
He was unarmed from every point I could see on him. They went on to say, “It was traumatizing knowing it was a child.”
The events leading up to the shooting
According to court documents received by WLOXOn Thursday, Oct. 6, Jahaim McMillin and four other teenagers were approached by police after a call came in saying a Kia Soul was driving recklessly, rolled down their window and “rolled them over.”
The documents also state that “the caller and his passenger said they saw the right rear passenger in the Kia Soul brandishing a firearm” at a red light and wearing a “camouflage ski mask” and pointing a gun at them. As a result, the caller was able to lose the Kia Soul.
A short time later, police spotted a Kia Soul matching the caller’s description in the Family Dollar parking lot.
According to police, the officer approached the “armed” suspect, McMillin, which led to shots being fired by the officer. McMillan was shot in the head and taken to Memorial Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
It is also reported that first aid was not given to McMillan as he lay on the ground bleeding.
Apartments, we will continue to keep you updated.