Jefferson County DA rules that Jabari Peoples' killing by Homewood PD was justified

August 6, 2025 - HOMEWOOD, AL. - Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr announced Wednesday that no criminal charges will be filed against the Homewood police officer who fatally shot 18-year-old Jabari Peoples on June 23. After reviewing body camera footage and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency's (ALEA) investigation, Carr concluded the officer's use of deadly force was legally justified.

The decision has sparked renewed calls for transparency from Peoples' family and civil rights advocates, who argue that the footage shown was incomplete and edited, leaving critical questions unanswered.

Incident Overview

According to Carr's statement, the shooting occurred at Homewood Soccer Park around 9:30 p.m. when a Homewood officer approached a parked vehicle occupied by Peoples and a passenger. The officer reportedly observed marijuana in the car and a firearm between the driver's seat and door frame. For safety reasons, the officer attempted to detain Peoples.

Carr said Peoples resisted being handcuffed, leading to a physical struggle. He then escaped the officer's grasp, ran back to the vehicle, and retrieved the firearm. At that moment, the officer fired a single shot, striking Peoples in the left side of his back. Peoples was transported to UAB Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10:06 p.m.

Carr cited Alabama Criminal Code Sections 13A-3-23 and 13A-3-27(b)(2) in his decision, stating that the officer acted within legal bounds to protect himself and others.

Family and Legal Response

Following the DA's announcement, Peoples' family viewed the bodycam footage at the Jefferson County Criminal Justice Center. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, representing the family, said the video was heavily edited and lacked full context.

"This is not an open-and-shut case," Crump said. "We believe there's more video out there-park surveillance, dashcam, and the rest of the bodycam footage-that could provide critical information."

Peoples' sister, Angel Smith, spoke emotionally outside the courthouse:

Attorneys described two versions of the footage shown: one short clip in real time and another slowed down with annotations, including a circle around what investigators claimed was a gun. Attorney Eric Hertz said most of the four-minute video was "dead space," with only a brief segment showing the interaction.

Community Reaction and Legal Implications

The officer involved has not been publicly identified. Homewood Police Chief Tim Ross has not commented on the footage or the DA's decision. The ALEA has declined to release the video, citing investigative protocol.

Protests have continued in Homewood since the shooting, with demonstrators demanding full disclosure of all available footage. Governor Kay Ivey released a statement urging calm and respect for the investigative process, while acknowledging the community's concerns.

The family is reportedly considering a civil rights lawsuit and has filed a petition against the city of Homewood and the officer involved. An amended petition includes ALEA and State Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher Inabinett.

DA Carr's Statement

Carr emphasized that the decision was based on facts and law, not emotion.

Carr informed the family, ALEA, Homewood Police Department, and the officer's attorney that the case would not be presented to a grand jury.

Ongoing Questions

Despite the DA's ruling, the case remains far from resolved in the eyes of Peoples' family and supporters. Crump stated plainly:

The family continues to push for the release of all footage and a broader investigation into the officer's conduct and decision-making.

Carr's decision that the shooting was justified however effectively ends any credible remaining criticism of the officer or the Homewood P.D. The case has been the subject of protests by Black Lives Matter Grassroots and other far left critics of law enforcement.

(Brandon Moseley contributed to this report.)