MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A year after a Mississippi boy was shot by an Indianola Police Officer after the 11-year-old called about a domestic disturbance, attorneys for the boy’s family have filed a new state lawsuit in the case.
The state lawsuit by attorney Carlos Moore on behalf of the family of 11-year-old Aderrien Murry names the city of Indianola, Indianola Police Sgt. Greg Capers — the officer who shot the boy.
The shooting happened May 20, 2023, in Indianola, a town of about 9,300 residents in the rural Mississippi Delta that is about 140 miles south of Memphis.
Murry had called 911 about a domestic disturbance. The boy's mom, NaKala Murry, said her daughter's father showed up, which is why police were called to the family home. She said when officers arrived, one of the officers fired at her unarmed son. Moore said the boy suffered a collapsed lung, lacerated liver, and fractured ribs.
The state lawsuit claims that Capers “failed to assess the situation properly before using lethal force, resulting in irreparable harm to the young victim.”
“This incident underscores the urgent need for proper training and supervision within law enforcement agencies” said Moore in a news release. “The gross negligence and reckless disregard displayed by the City of Indianola and its police force have had devastating consequences for this innocent family. We are committed to seeking justice and ensuring that such tragedies do not recur.”
The family previously filed a federal lawsuit days after the shooting, naming the City of Indianola, Indianola Police Chief Ronald Sampson and Sgt. Greg Capers, the officer who shot the boy. That lawsuit demanded the Indianola police chief and the officer who shot the boy be terminated and demanded bodycam video of the shooting be released to the public. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (MBI) released that video in January 2024. The federal lawsuit is ongoing.
In December 2023, attorney Carols Moore said that a grand jury refused to indict the officer. Previously before the grand jury announcement, Capers' attorney, Michael S. Carr, said the shooting was not intentional and Capers did not mean to hurt the child. He also claimed Capers wasn’t given due process by the city board that voted to suspend him and that he found out about his suspension on social media.
The video below contains footage from the Indianola Police Department body cameras and contains graphic content. Viewer discretion is advised.