Out of 21 shootings this year in Mississippi that involved police officers, three have resulted in deaths. William Drake’s son, Jaylen Lewis, was one of those who died.”A father’s love never goes away, especially as the child gets older,” Drake said. Lewis’ family recently posted a collage of photos at the corner of East Mayes Street where he died.”During the holiday season we always talk about our goals for the next year — what was coming up and what we do you know — so I just see him everywhere and everything,” Drake said.The 25-year-old died after a Capitol Police officer shot him on Sept. 25 in Fondren during a traffic stop. Two months later, the incident is still under investigation behind closed doors. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is handling the case.But MBI didn’t always investigate shootings involving officers. Before House Bill 974 was signed in July 2021, law enforcement agencies weren’t required to report the shootings to state authorities, which left many agencies investigating their own department.Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell said it’s because MBI is investigating that more is being heard about shootings that involve officers.”There is certainly a lot more attention being paid to them now and a lot more of them being reported to MBI,” Tindell said.The law came in the wake of a rise in police shootings around the nation and in Mississippi.”I think one is too many, but you have to realize police officers have to make split-second decisions,” said MBI Director Lt. Col. Charles Haynes.Haynes said he takes the investigations seriously, so much so that to ensure there is no bias, he said he doesn’t want to know details of the case before the file is complete and brought to his desk.”It’s emotionally charged. It’s a critical incident. It’s called critical for a reason,” Haynes said. When it comes to police shootings, to remain fair, the agency said it no longer uses words like victim or suspect in their files. Instead, they use the terminology, “person involved.””Labeling someone as a victim or suspect, you know may have different connotations, especially when it’s coming from an agency — a law enforcement agency,” Haynes said.In the shooting that killed Lewis, the Capitol Police officers involved were placed on administrative leave. The family said Lewis was in the car with a woman at the time. She was not injured.Lewis’ family is on edge as they wait for some findings to be released.”We just have a lot of questions. Most law enforcement in situations like this have body cams,” Drake said. “If they have body cams, where is that footage? If the cars had cameras, where is that footage that hadn’t been released yet?”Lewis was the father of two toddlers. His family said they’re working with a team of lawyers, including Lee Merritt. One of Merritt’s most recent cases was the Ahmaud Arbery case in Brunswick, Georgia.
Out of 21 shootings this year in Mississippi that involved police officers, three have resulted in deaths.
William Drake’s son, Jaylen Lewis, was one of those who died.
“A father’s love never goes away, especially as the child gets older,” Drake said.
Lewis’ family recently posted a collage of photos at the corner of East Mayes Street where he died.
“During the holiday season we always talk about our goals for the next year — what was coming up and what we do you know — so I just see him everywhere and everything,” Drake said.
The 25-year-old died after a Capitol Police officer shot him on Sept. 25 in Fondren during a traffic stop. Two months later, the incident is still under investigation behind closed doors. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is handling the case.
But MBI didn’t always investigate shootings involving officers. Before House Bill 974 was signed in July 2021, law enforcement agencies weren’t required to report the shootings to state authorities, which left many agencies investigating their own department.
Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell said it’s because MBI is investigating that more is being heard about shootings that involve officers.
“There is certainly a lot more attention being paid to them now and a lot more of them being reported to MBI,” Tindell said.
The law came in the wake of a rise in police shootings around the nation and in Mississippi.
“I think one is too many, but you have to realize police officers have to make split-second decisions,” said MBI Director Lt. Col. Charles Haynes.
Haynes said he takes the investigations seriously, so much so that to ensure there is no bias, he said he doesn’t want to know details of the case before the file is complete and brought to his desk.
“It’s emotionally charged. It’s a critical incident. It’s called critical for a reason,” Haynes said.
When it comes to police shootings, to remain fair, the agency said it no longer uses words like victim or suspect in their files. Instead, they use the terminology, “person involved.”
“Labeling someone as a victim or suspect, you know may have different connotations, especially when it’s coming from an agency — a law enforcement agency,” Haynes said.
In the shooting that killed Lewis, the Capitol Police officers involved were placed on administrative leave. The family said Lewis was in the car with a woman at the time. She was not injured.
Lewis’ family is on edge as they wait for some findings to be released.
“We just have a lot of questions. Most law enforcement in situations like this have body cams,” Drake said. “If they have body cams, where is that footage? If the cars had cameras, where is that footage that hadn’t been released yet?”
Lewis was the father of two toddlers. His family said they’re working with a team of lawyers, including Lee Merritt. One of Merritt’s most recent cases was the Ahmaud Arbery case in Brunswick, Georgia.
