APD Shares Details about Fatal Shooting
Officer Eric Copeland is on paid leave pending an internal investigation of his role in the fatal shooting of a suspect. Photo by Nasha Lee/KUT NewsThe Austin Police Department released more details on the fatal shooting of a suspect by one of its officers last week.
Officer Eric Copeland stopped Ahmed Jabbar Bradley on a traffic violation last Thursday night. When confronted, Bradley fled the scene and Copeland gave chase. Copeland tried and failed to stop Bradley with his taser. The two then got into a fight. APD Assistant Chief Sean Mannix said the suspect was strangling the officer with his police radio cord.
“Now we know that enough force was applied either offensively or defensively – in the cord being stretched across Officer Copeland’s throat – that the trans-receiver head from Officer Copeland’s radio was actually separated from the cord, which would take a good deal of strength and effort to make that occur,” Mannix said.
APD also released 911 audio from neighbors who witnessed the incident. A woman described the situation from inside her house, saying the officer shot the man after Bradley had him on the ground and tried to take away his gun.
Officer Copeland is on paid leave pending an internal investigation.
