Prosecutors on Friday released a case file of videos from body-worn cameras of Pine Bluff police officers and 275 pages of documents from an autopsy and Arkansas State Police investigation into the Nov. 21 shooting of a 23-year-old man.
The Commercial obtained the file through an Arkansas Freedom of Information Act request to the office of 11th West Judicial Circuit Prosecuting Attorney Kyle Hunter. According to a Feb. 17 news release, Hunter determined three Pine Bluff officers — Derek Johnson, Corey Lowery and J. L. Williams — were justified in their use of lethal force against Jeremy Lawrence Jr., 23.
Shortly after the shooting, the Pine Bluff Police Department walked back the initial news release that officers exchanged gunfire with a suspect on West 27th Avenue, stating it was not determined if the suspect fired a weapon.
Bodycam video from Lowery shows him yelling “Put the gun down!” at the sound of gunshots during the pursuit, which started after an SUV Lawrence fled from on foot did not stop as ordered, according to documents in the file. Officers were conducting a ground search around West 32nd Avenue and Plum Street in response to a call of a shooting, and the driver of the SUV reportedly fled quickly. Lawrence reportedly exited the vehicle and fled behind a residence at 1805 W. 27th Ave. He was gunned down in a wooded area just off West 28th Avenue.
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Gunshots can be heard from a wooded area behind a bent fence in the video. Three officers are pictured returning multiple shots. They climbed over the fence, ordered Lawrence not to move and tried to stop the bleeding from Lawrence.
“After multiple commands, PBPD officers fired toward (Lawrence’s) location while he was on the ground in a wooded area,” a narrative from state police Special Agent Oscar Bullard reads. “Lawrence was struck from the gunfire.”
Lowery is heard telling Lawrence: “I got you,” as he applies a tourniquet.
Lawrence died from his injuries at Jefferson Regional. Two other men in the vehicle were detained and interviewed by state police. The driver was jailed on suspicion of fleeing by vehicle (exceeding the posted speed).