Hoover Protesters Move Demonstration To Montgomery

MONTGOMERY, AL - The almost nightly protests in Hoover since the Thanksgiving night shooting death of Emantic "EJ" Bradford briefly changed venues over the weekend. Demonstrations - organized by activist Carlos Chaverst Jr. - took place in front of the Montgomery home of Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall Sunday night.

Protest organizers Chaverst, Iva Williams and about a dozen Justice League supporters made the trip from Birmingham to Montgomery, according to a report by Alabama Media Group. Protesters reportedly chanted, “Recuse yourself” and “Hands up, don’t shoot,” while occasionally stopping to talk with a couple of residents who questioned them about the reason for their demonstration. They said they would be back every night until Marshall responded to them.

The demonstration lasted until a Montgomery police officer told protesters that in order to keep protesting, the group would have to obtain a permit from the city and that the subdivision has a Homeowners Association and the HOA’s private security could trespass them.

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With nightly protests in Hoover since the Thanksgiving night shooting at the Riverchase Galleria, arrests being made in connection to the protests and a national media presence in Alabama, Marshall said earlier in the month his office will take over the investigation into Bradford's death.

The case has been handed from the Hoover Police Department to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, then to the State Bureau of Investigation - after authorities determined a potential key witness in the mall incident is a cousin of the wife of Jefferson County Sheriff-elect Mark Pettway.

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Attorney General To Take Over EJ Bradford Case

EJ Bradford Family Attorney 'Deeply Disturbed' By AG Taking Case

"It is deeply disturbing to the Bradford family that Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall would unilaterally and unnecessarily take the Bradford case away from Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr — the first black person to hold that position," said Bradford family attorney Ben Crump. "This action could undermine any trust the black community has in this process."

Bradford and his friend Brian Wilson were involved in an altercation at the Riverchase Galleria Thanksgiving night, and the altercation led to shots being fired. When a Hoover police officer arrived at the scene, he reportedly shot Bradford, who was holding a gun. Initial reports said Bradford was the shooter, but that was determined through the investigation to be false.

Photo of Carlos Chaverst via Hoover PD