Update: Police shooting victim was shot in the back

Chattanooga police today released video of the gun fight involving the 15-year-old prior to his being shot and killed Wednesday by a Chattanooga Housing Authority officer and audio of the radio traffic from Lt. Erik Reeves during the incident.

The tapes are consistent with Lt. Reeves’ statements involving the incident, said Chattanooga Police Department spokeswoman Sgt. Jerri Weary.

Lt. Reeves came upon Alonzo O’Kelley, 15, and another juvenile in the 2500 block of Fourth Avenue shortly after a gun fight between Mr. O’Kelley and an unidentified gunman in a black Dodge Durango, Sgt. Weary said.

The officer ordered both young men to the ground, at which time one complied, Sgt. Weary said. Mr. O’Kelley began to run in an opposite direction and as he did so, raised the gun toward Lt. Reeves, the sergeant said.

At that time, Lt. Reeves shot Mr. O’Kelley.

Some witnesses told police a story consistent with that of Lt. Reeves’. Others told reporters that Mr. O’Kelley never raised his gun and instead dropped it.

A Hamilton County Medical Examiner’s report released Monday showed that Mr. O’Kelley died from one gunshot wound to his back, slightly to the right of his left shoulder blade. The manner of death is listed as a homicide.

The report also showed that Mr. O’Kelley had multiple abrasions to his face, including above his left eye brow, under his left eye, under his left nostril and in the center of his chin and nose.

See tomorrow’s Times Free Press for complete details.