By Howard Koplowitz
A Decatur city councilman on Thursday announced his support for the three officers involved in the shooting death of Stephen Perkins at the hands of police, saying the officers don’t deserve to be fired but are likely to be terminated.
“The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency has yet to complete their criminal investigation, but the city of Decatur would like to jump conclusions and terminate those involved when, at this time, there is zero presumption of criminal wrongdoing,” Councilman Hunter Pepper said in a statement released Thursday and addressed to Mayor Tab Bowling and the city council.
“To those who have stated they support termination, I hope each of you make zero mistakes at your place of work as the owners may hang you before your trial has occurred and wrongdoing has been found just as I see happening at the city of Decatur,” Pepper said in the statement.
Bowling set a hearing for proposed discipline against the officers for Tuesday.
Pepper, who was accused of assault by a man protesting Perkins’ killing who claimed the councilman bumped him twice during a council work session earlier this month, said Thursday he backs the officers.
“I’m now coming to all of you to tell you I support the police in this matter and do not support termination of any involved. This is the right thing to do, its not about the police, its not about the public, it’s about what is right and what is wrong, and, in this situation, the officers acted on how they were trained and taught,” he said.
“This event has torn our city into pieces, and it breaks my heart but as I’ve said many times before this, what is right Is right and what is wrong is wrong,” Pepper continued. “I hope all of you will stand up and do the right thing as people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.”
Decatur police officers shot and killed the 39-year-old Perkins Sept. 29 in his front yard at the 3900 Block of Ryan Drive, The police said they were there because Perkins threatened a tow truck driver with a gun and later turned a gun on an officer.
An initial police report said Perkins refused to comply when the police asked him to drop the weapon.
Pinion had since apologized, saying the initial report mischaracterized what happened and that it was wrong to say Perkins refused to drop his gun.
Home camera footage of the deadly shooting appeared to show that the police were out of sight when Perkins told the tow truck driver to drop the truck that morning before a police officer appeared to come from the corner of the house, told Perkins to get to the ground and immediately shot him.
The officer who fired his weapon remains on paid administrative leave. The other two officers who were on-duty at the time of the shooting and the involved supervisor remain on-duty but on administrative assignments.
