On September 29, 2023, Steve Perkins of Decatur, Alabama, was shot and killed in his own front yard by the same people his property taxes paid to keep him safe, all over a car that was his to protect.
There has been very little media focus on this story outside of the town of Decatur, Alabama, where a 39-year-old man Steve Perkins was gunned down before officers even finished their commands and the town rightfully wants answers.
Media, journo, activist friends: have you heard of #StevePerkins, a black man killed by police outside his home in Alabama? A friend reached out trying to get natl attn. I haven't been able to find much coverage and hadn't heard of this before now: https://t.co/odEqktDT0X
— Leah Konen *I stand with the WGA* (@LeahKonen) October 23, 2023
The day before, a tow truck company arrived at Steve’s home to repossess his vehicle, believing that he was in good standing, and there has been little evidence to the contrary, Steve rightfully ran the men off his property. What happens next is a police word versus ring cameras. After not being able to successfully remove the car from Steve’s driveway, a tow truck company called the police. That early morning, another tow truck arrived to assist, accompanied by two police officers parked in the distance. According to police, Perkins came outside ordering the tow truck driver to release his vehicle, brandishing a weapon, was ordered to put the weapon down and was subsequently fired upon because of his lack of compliance.
However, security footage from the neighbor across the street shows a very different story.
According to the camera, Steve exited his home with a flashlight. It has not been confirmed if this was a gun with a flashlight attachment, but what the camera did confirm was the ‘inconsistences,’ between the police officers’ statements and camera footage. Out of nowhere—well, because they were not parked in front of the home to prevent an ambush (the intense irony)—police run to the home, while one officer is heard shouting, “hey police, get on the ground,” except Steve was on the ground before the word finished hitting the air.
The first of 18 shots was fired before the word ‘ground’ was even uttered, seven of those shots mortally wounding Steve. According to the police, he was ordered to drop his weapon. However, that must have mysteriously disappeared from the camera footage. Speaking of camera footage—police—of course, have yet to release the body cam or the murderer’s identity. Steve was executed by the police in cold blood for defending his property on his property.
He was taken away from his wife and daughter—over a car.
Since the shooting, protestors have been arrested for lining the streets, and there was a 10-mile traffic jam resulting from attendance of his funeral. The NRA has remained silent, as they did in the Philando Castile case. Even with the police reporting that Steve had a weapon, the same good ole boys who fight so fervently to be able to police anyone but themselves have been mighty quiet about this brutal murder.
Decatur Police Chief Todd Pinion says the Decatur Police Department is still working on its own internal investigation into the officer involved shooting death of Steve Perkins.
— Paige Meyer (@PaigeWAAY31) October 26, 2023
It has now been exactly 4 weeks since the incident and still no updates on the investigation from ALEA pic.twitter.com/oUWEMMSzWb
In a world where Black men are told to ‘just comply,’ to their basic human dignities being stripped in real-time, it is difficult to understand how someone is required to comply with non-compliance. What is the point of demanding something you don’t want? What is the point of yelling to get to the ground if your intentions are to make sure that’s the last thing someone does?
As was previously stated, Decatur police have not released the names of the murderers because, you know, they need to be protected.
