Daily Journal
TUPELO – City leaders met behind closed doors for more than an hour Thursday but made no official decisions regarding the officer-involved shooting on June 18 that has led to a federal lawsuit being filed against the city of Tupelo.
Citing state law, city leaders met in executive session Thursday at City Hall to discuss a lawsuit filed by the attorney representing the family of Antwun “Ronnie” Shumpert, who was killed by a Tupelo Police Officer on June 18. Shumpert reportedly fled from a traffic stop and then is alleged by authorities to have attacked a Tupelo Police Department officer and a K-9 unit before being shot. He was transported to the hospital and later died.
This photo, released by the City of Tupelo on Friday, shows Tupelo Police officer Tyler Cook in an ambulance one hour after the incident on June 18. (Courtesy)
The city confirmed Friday morning that the officer was Tyler Cook, sending a photo to media outlets of Cook being treated in an ambulance one hour after the incident.
State law allows public bodies to conduct such closed-door sessions to discuss a narrow scope of topics, including litigation.
A lawsuit was officially filed in federal court Thursday afternoon against the city, TPD Chief Bart Aguirre and the officer alleging wrongful death and constitutional violations.
Members of the City Council met Thursday and disbanded with no official decisions or statements being made.
Other officials were invited into the closed session with council members including Tupelo Mayor Jason Shelton, city attorney Ben Logan, Aguirre and representatives from the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.
City leaders have been quiet on the exact details of the incident saying they were waiting for the investigation to be completed by the MBI.
Aguirre, however, did speak to the Daily Journal after the meeting regarding the status of that investigation.
“Right now, the investigation is pretty much completed,” said Aguirre, who had not spoken to media since the shooting. “What we are doing right now is waiting on some lab reports to be completed, the tissue samples, the blood work, the body fluids that have been submitted for analysis have been submitted to the state crime lab, toxicology division and we’re waiting for results of the toxicology to come back.”
Aguirre said he has worked to expedite the investigation and hopes to have something “within the next three to four weeks.”
If the investigation is completed within that time frame, Aguirre said he hopes it can be presented to a grand jury soon.
The next scheduled grand jury is in September. If the investigation is completed sooner, the case could go before a special grand jury.
That panel of around 20 citizens will decide whether to charge the officer.
The officer was placed on administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of the investigation.
“He remains on administrative leave until this case has been presented to a grand jury,” Aguirre said.