Video: Columbus Residents Seeking Answers

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COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) — Many Columbus residents, from city councilmen to community leaders, are being very vocal about Friday night’s deadly officer-involved shooting.

City leaders reprimanded Ward 4 Councilman Marty Turner Tuesday night, after his recent controversial comments about the shooting on Facebook.

WCBI’s Quentin Smith was at Tuesday’s packed meeting and has more reaction from residents.

“We’re looking for answers today,”  David Weatherspoon said.

David Weathersppoon is the uncle of Ricky ball, and said everyone is searching for the the truth about what really happened involving the death of his nephew.

That’s what drew this rare and large crowd that was standing room only.

“I think it was an opportunity to try to get answers where they figured the source would be,” Pastor R.J. Matthews said.

“I think that everyone here was just kind of showing that we’re not going to stand for unjust thinks happening by our law enforcement,” Columbus resident George Lowe said.

But many of the questions residents asked when unanswered because of the investigation.

“Who is the next victim, who is the next person this is going to happen to,” Weatherspoon said.

Residents say it was pivotal for the community to come out in big numbers and express their concerns because they don’t want this situation to be a repeat of What happened in Ferguson, Missouri last year.
“Some people wanted the peace of knowing this will be handled properly,” Matthews said.

Residents also say this isn’t this first time an issue like this has come up in the Columbus. Many residents used this as an opportunity to tell testimonies about how they’ve been affected personally by similar incidents.
“I’m angry because that’s my child. I have to look at him slurring because of a blow to the head and he cant remember, and he’s still going through surgery now, because of a violent officer that chased him,” a Columbus resident said.

George Lowe says he attends the city council meetings regularly and was happy to see the big turn out.

R.J. Matthews is a pastor in the community, and he says this time of community support is important and needs to happen more often to help bring the changes the community wants to see.
“I hope out of this our community will continue to commit and stick to this to see Columbus be all that we can be. We will get through this, God will see is through this and as a community we’ll band together and get through it,” Matthews said.

The Columbus Police Department will conduct an internal investigation after it receives the report from the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.