Black gospel singer, 48, is ‘gunned down during a traffic stop tussle with a Houston officer who was trying to detain him for DUI after he admitted to drinking one mimosa’
A Houston choir director and gospel singer was fatally shot by a police officer during a traffic stop on Friday, prompting fury from the man’s family who has demanded that the department release footage of the killing.
Adrian Medearis, 48, who was black, was shot during an alleged scuffle with a police officer who stopped him on suspicion of drunken driving early Friday.
Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said Monday afternoon that he would not release the video until he could meet with the family and personally show it to them.
Acevedo also stressed that the county was a ‘unique community’ that had its ‘own values and expectations,’ which meant that if the officer was indicted, the case could go to a county where jurors had a ‘different mindset.’
When asked during the press conference if he had reached out to Medearis’ family prior to announcing his killing, Acevedo shared that he had left them a ‘message.’
The Houston Police Department said in a statement that Medearis was pulled over while speeding. An officer – identified as J. Ramos – conducted a field sobriety test. Ramos has been with the department for seven years.
The officer then tried to arrest Medearis on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, according to the police statement. During the conference, Acevedo claimed Medearis admitted to drinking one mimosa.
Medearis allegedly resisted and grabbed the officer’s Taser, and the policeman then fired four times, including two rounds that struck and killed the suspect, Acevedo told a press conference on Monday.
No other officers were involved and there were no known witnesses, police said.
Acevedo said the officer’s body camera was knocked off during the alleged struggle with Medearis, but footage from other cameras captured the incident.
Acevedo said that before the scuffle, Medearis complained to the officer about the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery, a black man who was shot and killed by a white father and son while jogging in Brunswick, Georgia, on Feb. 23.
The struggle between the officer and Medearis took about 2- 1/2 minutes, Acevedo said. At one point the officer had Medearis pinned to the ground. But when he let go with one hand to call for backup, Medearis flipped the officer over and the fight continued.
‘What’s sad about this is that by all accounts what occurred is conduct that is not consistent with who Mr. Medearis is,’ Acevedo said.
Family members of the choir director slammed the department on social media, however, horrified by the lack of communication they have received pertaining to the killing.
‘It is disappointing and absurd that Chief Acevedo would call a public press conference before speaking with the family of Adrian Medearis,’ said the man’s brother, Audrick Medearis, in a Monday statement”
“I am not only his brother, but am also a first responder and Cy Fair firefighter. I am very easily accessible to HPD. The Harris County Chief Medical Examiner is aware that I am the next of kin as I contacted the office last Friday requesting to view my brother’s remains.’
Audrick Medearis shared that as of Monday afternoon, he had not been told where his brother’s possessions or BMW were located. He also shared that the department had not invited him to view the footage of how Adrian was killed.
‘I have not been told how many times Adrian was shot, which areas of his body were struck by the bullets, nor if he was dead-on-arrival at the hospital, and if not, what lifesaving measures were taken at the ER to save his life,’ he added.
Medearis, a gospel singer well-known locally, was the choir director at the Evangelist Temple Church of God In Christ and several years ago formed the gospel group Standing in the Gap.
‘We are beyond shocked at the initial accounts of this tragedy,’ Medearis’ family said in a statement posted by Audrick. ‘Unfortunately, there are no public details available regarding the murder of our loved one.’
Audrick and the family described Adrian as a ‘talented gospel artist on the rise.’
Dav Lewis, a longtime friend of Medearis, called for releasing the video. ‘Everybody – and especially his family – deserve to know what happened that night, they need to see what happened to their loved one,’ he said. ‘We must hold the police accountable and we’re not going to just sit back and take the police word on this.’
Lewis said it would be completely out of character for Medearis to react aggressively during a traffic stop.
‘We deserve to see the proof of what police are alleging,’ he said. ‘Nothing is going to make sense until we see the video.’
The family announced that it will hold a private funeral for family members.
‘We hope to announce a ceremony at a later time where his bounty of friends and supporters can safely pay their respects,’ their statement read.
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