Phoenix Police have been scrutinized following the release of body camera and surveillance footage of an officer-involved shooting that occurred on the early morning of August 10. According to the video obtained by Phoenix New Times, Imani Jackson, a 46-year-old man suspected of firing at a group of people, was fatally shot by police after a foot chase and what police describe as him reaching towards his waistband.
The incident was captured in an edited compilation of body camera footage and other materials provided by the Phoenix Police Department as part of a "critical incident briefing." A surveillance video obtained from a business near the scene of the initial shooting appears to show Jackson approaching a group of people, firing a weapon, and scattering bystanders before eventually leaving the scene in a white SUV. The police apprehended Jackson shortly after near 25th Avenue and Buckeye Road. As Phoenix New Times reports, after Jackson was stopped by police, he exited his vehicle, ignored commands to stay put and started to walk away before the fatal shooting occurred.
At the scene, the police claimed to find a handgun linked to Jackson and evidence suggesting its use in the earlier altercation that prompted the original 911 call. This is part of a series of events that has left the ninth person dead at the hands of Phoenix officers this year, raising further questions about the use of lethal force by law enforcement.
Following the shooting, both officers involved in the incident have been assigned to nonenforcement positions, pending the outcome of both criminal and internal investigations as to whether department policy was followed during the encounter. The community is in search of answers, with the victim's family retaining notable civil rights attorney Ben Crump. "The death of Imani Jackson is a heartbreaking reminder of the dangers Black men face in interactions with law enforcement," Crump stated in an Aug. 19 statement referenced by Phoenix New Times. "The Jackson family deserves to know exactly what happened to their loved one in his final moments. We will continue to fight for justice on behalf of Imani and all those affected by this tragedy."
Meanwhile, during a candlelight vigil held on August 11, family members remembered Jackson as a man who was working to better his life, with his niece Hune'e Jones telling FOX 10 Phoenix, "He was the protector and provider of the family."
