Man killed by Hoover police officer was shot 3 times from behind, attorneys say

Attorneys for the family of the 21-year-old Hueytown man shot and killed by a Hoover police officer at the Riverchase Galleria on Thanksgiving night today said he was shot three times from behind.

The attorneys said the finding comes from a forensic pathologist from the Washington, D.C., area hired by the family to review the death of Emantic “E.J.” Bradford Jr.

The forensic pathologist, Dr. Roger Mitchell Jr., met with Jefferson County Chief Medical Examiner Gregory Davis in Birmingham on Friday and reviewed all medicolegal death investigation photographs from the mall as well as the medical examiner’s autopsy photographs, according to a statement released by attorneys for Bradford’s family.

Mitchell also directly observed Bradford’s body at Mullins Funeral Home, the attorney said.

Shooting details

A report from Dr. Mitchell indicates that Bradford was shot in the back of the right side of his head, back of the base of his neck and right side of his back at his hip.

“All of these shots were potentially kill shots,” attorney Ben Crump said. However, the report from Dr. Mitchell indicates the cause of death was the gunshot wound to the head, which went through Bradford’s brain. This likely caused Bradford to lose all of his motor skills, Crump said.

Bradford then fell on the floor, face forward, causing major trauma to the right side of his face. The wounds to his face are what led witnesses and family to initially believe that Bradford was shot in the face, but that belief turned out to be mistaken, Crump said.

“It is clear unequivocally without any doubt whatsoever that E.J. Bradford Jr. was shot three times from behind while he was running away, while he was moving away from the police,” Crump said.

The family of Bradford is demanding that whatever would have happened to Bradford if he had shot a Hoover police officer should be done to the police officer who shot him, Crump said.

“We believe, based on the forensic evidence, that this officer should be charged with a crime,” Crump said. “There is nothing that justifies him shooting E.J. as he’s moving away from him. You’re not a threat when you’re running away. If that was anybody else who shot somebody three times in the back, it would be justified that they be charged with murder, so we wait for the officials to tell his family why this officer is going to be given any kind of different treatment than anybody else would be given who shot and killed a human being in such a reckless manner.”

Accountability for the officer

Bradford’s father, Emantic Bradford Sr., said his son was not posing a threat.

“You could have taken him down without even having to fire a shot,” Bradford Sr. said. “My son was murdered by this officer, and that was cowardice. You shot a 21-year-old person running away from gunfire who never posed you a threat. … What you have done is destroyed my family.”

Bradford Sr. said there is no justice if this officer gets away with this. “Hoover, you need to do the right thing on this one,” he said.

Anthony Thomas, Bradford Jr.’s uncle, said the officer should be charged with capital murder. “Heads have got to roll, from the top to the bottom,” he said.

Protesters have been demanding that Hoover police or the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency release police body camera footage of the shooting and any other videos from the incident. Officials for the city of Hoover asked for permission to release the limited information they have about the incident, but the head of ALEA, said in a letter to city officials that it is imperative for the integrity of any criminal investigation conducted by ALEA’s State Bureau of Investigation that information be kept confidential until the investigation is officially closed and a report is sent to prosecutors.

Crump said Bradford’s family is trying very hard to trust Hoover and state officials that they are going to be transparent and do a thorough investigation, but “it’s very difficult for this father and this family after they were lied to before.”

Hoover police initially identified Bradford as the gunman in the first shooting at the mall that night but the next day said that statement was incorrect and that further interviews and evidence indicated Bradford likely was not the shooter.

Crump said they hope the delay in releasing information is not because they are trying to find a way to exonerate the officer of wrongdoing.

Without the video, the forensic evidence “tells us how E.J. Bradford Jr. was killed in cold blood on Thanksgiving night,” Crump said.

Statements from city of Hoover and Councilman Derrick Murphy

A statement issued by the city of Hoover this afternoon said city officials encourage Crump and the Bradford family to submit the preliminary anatomical review by the forensice pathologist from the Washington, D.C., area to ALEA so the new information can become part of the official investigation.

“We couldn’t agree more with Attorney Crump’s call for a thorough and complete investigation and for witnesses to come forward to assist in the search for the truth,” the city’s statement said. “We also agree with his call to refrain

from speculation until the investigation is completed. Our sympathies are with the Bradford family as they, the community, and the City of Hoover, await ALEA’s complete investigation.”

Councilman Derrick Murphy also today released a statement that he is disappointed that the city cannot give the Bradford family the answers they deserve faster.

“Their grace, dignity and strength are nothing short of remarkable,” Murphy said. “Please pray for the Bradford family. Please pray for our community. Please pray for those grieving privately and publicly. Please be patient with me as I struggle to balance the privilege of being an elected officials in the city of Hoover with the flinching of being an African-American following tragic circumstances like these.

“God has prepared us for such as time as this,” Murphy said. “We will continue to support the Bradford family, the city of Hoover, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and our community as we seek truth in this storm.”

Crump called on any witnesses at the mall to come forward and let ALEA investigators know what they saw at the shopping center that night. ALEA investigators want to make sure they have all witness statements in hand before any video is released, he said.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, president and CEO of the Rainbow Push Coalition, said there appears to be a pattern across the country of police officers shooting black men and authorities trying to cover it up. The decision not to release videotapes gives the appearance of a cover-up, he said. “This must stop now.”

Situation is a 'powder keg'

Crump said Bradford’s family has confidence that Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr is going to do the right thing when he gets the investigative report from the state. “We just don’t want it to take forever for this investigation to be concluded.”

There is a plethora of evidence already in hand — gunshot casings from the mall, video and pathology reports, Crump said.

“My concern is that the longer this goes on, it’s like a powder keg, and we need to as quickly and as efficiently as possible conclude this investigation so we can restore the trust that was taken on Thanksgiving night when they defamed the character of his namesake and said that he was a criminal,” Crump said. “We know that was not true — that E.J. Bradford didn’t shoot anybody.”

Frank Matthews, a community activist from Birmingham, said people in Hoover have been upset about the protests taking place in their community and threats of protests at Hoover schools.

“No one is going to harm anybody’s children, but your children in Hoover need to know what happened to our children,” Matthews said.

Matthews said protesters also want a meeting with Hoover clergy.

Jackson said protesters don’t need to do anything to embarrass Bradford’s family or undermine the legal process. “Those who do protest, protest mightily in a nonviolent, disciplined way,” Jackson said.

The Rev. Mike McClure, pastor of Rock City Church in Birmingham, said he has tried to follow the example of Martin Luther King Jr. and be a voice of reason and has been called a traitor because of his stance. But healing will only come with complete transparency, and he doesn’t know how long he can be patient.

Prayers for peace, justice

At a press conference this morning, McClure prayed for everyone in Birmingham and Hoover.

“Every resident in Hoover isn’t a racist. Every resident of Hoover isn’t sweeping this under the rug. Every resident of Hoover is not satisfied,” he said.

He also prayed for the Hoover Police Department, noting “there are some good police officers on that force.” He is not asking for the entire police force to be held accountable for Bradford’s death, but the individual who fired the shots should be held responsible, he said.

“Let peace remain in our cities,” McClure said. He called on Hoover clergy to speak up as well. “Silence in the midst of injustice is immoral.”

At least two Hoover churches, Shades Crest Baptist Church and Riverchase United Methodist Church, have scheduled prayer services for 7 p.m. Tuesday in regard to the shooting at the Galleria.

This story was updated at 1:28 p.m. with additional information from the Bradford family's press conference, at 2:41 with part of a statement issued by Hoover Councilman Derrick Murphy, at 2:46 p.m. with information about prayer services scheduled in Hoover and at 4:31 p.m. with a statement from the city of Hoover.