In the late afternoon of a February day in Montgomery, Alabama, the life of 21-year-old Lonnie Smith Jr., a Black male, came to a tragic and violent end. On February 21, 2018, Smith was shot and killed by a Montgomery police officer following a chaotic series of events that began with him being the victim of a crime.
Earlier that day, Smith had been robbed and assaulted at gunpoint by three individuals identified as Radirus Wheat, Quartez Luster, and another person known as 'Tweet.'
Shortly after, Montgomery police officers responded to a report of a shooting and were given a description of a Black male with no shirt and blue jeans, who was reportedly armed. Officers Jarius Booker and Paul Harris were in the vicinity when they spotted Smith, who matched the description.
What followed was a brief but fatal encounter. As the officers approached, Smith fled, leading to a foot chase. Officer Booker pursued Smith, and during the chase, he fired his service weapon multiple times, striking Smith. Lonnie Smith Jr. was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident sparked immediate questions and concerns from Smith's family and the community about the use of deadly force.
In the aftermath, Smith's mother, Lisa Hill, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the City of Montgomery, then-Police Chief Ernest N. Finley, Jr., and officers Jarius Booker and Paul Harris. The lawsuit alleged that the officers' actions constituted an unlawful seizure and the use of excessive force, violating her son's constitutional rights. The family contended that Smith did not pose a threat to the officers that would justify the use of deadly force. However, in December 2022, a judge granted a motion for summary judgment in favor of the city and the officers, and the lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice.
Details regarding any criminal charges brought against the officers involved in the shooting are not publicly available. Similarly, while the individuals who allegedly robbed Lonnie Smith Jr. prior to his death were identified, information on their arrests and the specific charges they faced in connection with that robbery is scarce. The story of Lonnie Smith Jr.'s death is a complex and heart-wrenching narrative that leaves behind a grieving family and unanswered questions about the events that led to a young life being cut short.
