Matthew Zadok Williams (2021)
Overview
On April 12, 2021, unnamed officers with the DeKalb County Georgia Police Department responded to a 911 call about a suspicious man "lurking around the woods" near the caller's house.[1] When police arrived, they encountered Matthew Williams, and tried to determine his status and if he belonged there. Williams seemed to lunge at them with a knife, at which point one officer shot at Williams. Williams ran and entered the house through a window. Officers kicked in the front door, but were unable to convince Williams to disarm himself. Additional shots were fired. The initial officers withdrew, and waited for the SWAT team to make entry. [2] Williams was pronounced dead at the scene. It was later determined that Williams lived at the house.[3]
Sergeant Devon Perry identified himself and officers Mikhail Morgan and Michael Walker on the body-worn camera footage.[4][5]
On April 13, 2021, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) issued a press release that they would be investigating the shooting.[6]
On April 15, 2021, the police department showed body-worn camera footage to the family.[3]
On April 16, 2021, the police department released the body-worn camera footage.[2]
DeKalb County Police Department began an internal review.[1]
On May 10, 2021, DeKalb County released several hours of previously unreleased body cam video.[7]
On May 26, 2021, Williams' family and legal team met with DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston.[8] The District Attorney is waiting for the GBI report before deciding if charges are warranted.[4]
On September 2, 2021, the family expressed their desire for Perry to be arrested for murder.[9]
On June 28, 2022, the District Attorney announced that they would not file charges against Perry, saying that there was "no criminal culpability" and the shooting was "justified".[10]
On February 17, 2023, Williams' family filed a lawsuit under federal disability discrimination laws, claiming that Williams was having a mental health crisis and the officers were not trained in how to respond.[11]
Video
News coverage of initial body-worn camera footage
News report and body-worn camera footage
Officers Involved
Official Reports
Additional Sources
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Shaddi Abusaid, Family demands answers after DeKalb man shot, killed by police, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 2021-04-14
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Video shows DeKalb officers pleading with man to drop knife before shooting, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 2021-04-16
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Joe Henke, Family of man killed by DeKalb police says chief showed them bodycam video of shooting, 11Alive, 2021-04-16
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Joe Ripley, Family calls for justice after police fatally shot Matthew Zadok Williams, 11Alive, 2021-07-10
- ↑ Christian Boone, Body cam footage sheds light on fatal DeKalb police shooting, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 2021-06-08
- ↑ GBI Investigates Officer Involved Shooting in DeKalb County, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, 2021-04-13
- ↑ Nicole Carr, A minute-by-minute look at body cam video in deadly DeKalb police shooting, WSB-TV, 2021-05-13
- ↑ Family of man fatally shot by DeKalb police meets with district attorney, Fox 5 Atlanta, 2021-05-26
- ↑ Valencia Jones, Protesters Demand DeKalb Police Fire Officer Involved In Zadok Williams’ Shooting Death, CW69 News, 2021-09-02
- ↑ DeKalb County cop will not face charges in death of Matthew Zadok Williams, 2022-06-28
- ↑ Matthew Zadok Williams' family files lawsuit over fatal shooting by DeKalb officer, WABE, 2023-02-22
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