Protesters Demand Police Release Video Of Galleria Shooting

HOOVER, AL - Protesters demanding answers from the Hoover Police Department in the Thanksgiving death of EJ Bradford convened on Highway 31 in front of the Hoover Municipal Complex Monday night. The crowd blocked traffic, and made demands for justice, before marching along 31 to the Galleria - where Bradford was shot and killed Thursday night by a Hoover police officer.

Protesters convened in front of Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato's home Tuesday night, demanding answers. The State Bureau of INvestigation, which has taken over the investigation from the Hoover PD, has said no video footage of the incident - body cam video or mall security video - would be released while the investigation is ongoing. The ALEA said Monday this is standard procedure during any investigation.

Bradford's death at the hands of the police officer has gained national attention, as activists are adding Bradford's name to the long list of African-Americans killed by police officers. Details surrounding the incident are still unclear, which was another reason for Monday night's protest.

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What has been confirmed is that Bradford was one of possibly four people involved in an altercation at the Galleria Thursday night, which escalated in one of the people in the altercation firing gunshots. An 18-year-old male was shot and hospitalized, and a 12-year old girl was also shot. Both survived. Bradford was seen by police holding a gun in the vicinity of the area in which the shots were fired, and an off-duty Hoover police officer working mall security shot and killed Bradford.

Also confirmed is that the officer, whose name has not been released, is on administrative leave while the investigation continues.

Details have not been confirmed, however, regarding what Bradford's role in the incident was, or why he was holding a gun in the mall. Video footage would likely confirm whether or not the officer demanded Bradford drop the gun before shooting.

Bradford.s family has hired civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who also represented the families of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. and Trayvon Martin in Florida. Crump has asked that law enforcement release footage of the incident.

"We're going to explore every possible legal avenue available to this family on the state and federal level. What the family wants most is justice," Crump said in Sunday's news conference. "White men commit mass shootings, other crimes - police pursue them and capture them alive. "But when it's a young black man, it's always a confusing situation." Black men aren't given the benefit of the doubt."

Monday morning, Hoover police released a statement promising transparency in the ongoing investigation. The investigation is now out of the hands of the Hoover PD and ALEA is now in charge.

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