In the early morning hours of February 25, 2016, a fatal encounter unfolded in Montgomery, Alabama, that would end the life of 58-year-old Greg Gunn, a Black man who was walking home in his mother's neighborhood. The series of events began around 3:20 a.m. when Aaron Cody Smith, a white Montgomery police officer, initiated a stop-and-frisk on Gunn.
Smith later stated that Gunn matched the description of a burglary suspect, described as a Black male in dark clothing.
What began as a stop escalated when Gunn fled from the officer. A foot pursuit ensued, during which Smith reportedly attempted to use his Taser to subdue Gunn. The chase ended near Gunn's home, where a physical confrontation occurred. According to Smith's testimony, Gunn armed himself with a painter's pole, prompting the officer to fire his weapon in what he claimed was self-defense. Witnesses, however, reported hearing Gunn calling out for his mother and a neighbor for help just before the shots were fired. An autopsy would later reveal that Gunn had been shot five times.
The aftermath of the shooting saw Aaron Cody Smith placed on administrative leave. Within a week, following an investigation by the Alabama Bureau of Investigation, he was arrested and charged with the murder of Greg Gunn. A grand jury indicted Smith on the murder charge in November 2016. The defense successfully argued for a change of venue, and the trial was moved from Montgomery to Ozark, in Dale County.
During the trial in late 2019, the prosecution argued that Gunn was not a threat to the officer, while the defense maintained that Smith acted in self-defense. Ultimately, the jury found Aaron Cody Smith guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter. In January 2020, he was sentenced to 14 years in prison for the killing of Greg Gunn. In addition to the criminal proceedings, Gunn's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Montgomery, which was settled in April 2020.
