COMING UP. RIGHT. THANKS, JASON. RIGHT NOW, NEW UPDATES ON THE LEGAL FILINGS IN THE DEATH OF JABARI PEEPLES. NOW, NEXT WEEK WILL MARK ONE MONTH SINCE HE WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY A HOMEWOOD POLICE OFFICER. NOW, IN THE WEEKS FOLLOWING HIS DEATH, JABARI LOVED ONES FILED A PETITION TO HAVE THE BODY CAMERA FOOTAGE RELEASED. THE CITY OF HOMEWOOD WAS NAMED IN THE PETITION AND RESPONDED LAST WEEK SAYING THEY DON’T LEGALLY HAVE THE RIGHT TO RELEASE IT AS IT’S NOW IN THE CUSTODY OF THE ALABAMA LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. JABARI FAMILY HAD UNTIL TODAY TO REPLY TO THE CITY’S RESPONSE. WVTM 13 LISA CRANE HAS BEEN FOLLOWING THESE UPDATES FOR US. AND LISA, WHAT DO WE KNOW RIGHT NOW? WELL, WE WERE TOLD BY THE FAMILY’S ATTORNEYS THAT THEY WOULD REPLY TO THAT RESPONSE BY THE CLOSE OF BUSINESS TODAY, BUT THEY HAVE NOT CONFIRMED TO US AT THIS POINT THAT THAT HAS HAPPENED. IN THE MEANTIME, THE GROUP BLACK LIVES MATTER IS STEPPING IN TO TRY TO PUT MORE PRESSURE ON THE CITY AND STATE LEADERS TO RELEASE VIDEO OF THAT SHOOTING. THEY’RE PLANNING TO PUT ECONOMIC PRESSURE AND THEY’RE FOCUSING ON HOMEWOOD BUSINESSES. THE FAMILY OF 18 YEAR-OLD. JABARI PEEPLES HAS ASKED THE CITY AND THE STATE TO SEE THE VIDEOS OF THEIR LOVED ONE BEING SHOT BY A HOMEWOOD POLICE OFFICER. WHEN THAT DIDN’T WORK, THEY ASKED A JUDGE TO FORCE THE RELEASE OF THE VIDEO EVIDENCE. NOW, BLACK LIVES MATTER IS PLANNING A BOYCOTT OF HOMEWOOD BUSINESSES TO PRESSURE THOSE IN CONTROL. ONE OF THE BUSIEST BUSINESSES IN HOMEWOOD HAPPENS TO BE WALMART, AND THAT IS DEFINITELY FILLED WITH PEOPLE OF COLOR WHO GO THERE TO SHOP WITH BLACK FOLK, WITH BROWN FOLK WHO GO THERE TO SHOP. WE’RE GOING TO CALL FOR THEM ON A DAY TO NOT BE IN THAT PLACE, SPENDING ANY MONEY. EVEN THOUGH HOMEWOOD POLICE NO LONGER HAVE OWNERSHIP OF THE VIDEO, HARRIS BELIEVES THEY STILL HAVE SOME SWAY WITH ALEIA. POLITICS IS A SCRATCH MY BACK. I’LL SCRATCH YOURS. SO MUCH HAPPENED. SO MUCH CAN BE MOVED. AND AND JUST ON THE MORAL COMPASS SIDE, WE KNOW THAT THEY HAVE SEEN THE VIDEO JUST AS PARENTS. TELL US WHAT YOU SAW. THAT’S A GOOD START. THE OWNER AND WORKERS AT THIS HOMEWOOD STORE SAY THEY SUPPORT THE PEOPLE’S FAMILY AND THE BOYCOTT, EVEN THOUGH IT COULD BE A FINANCIAL BLOW TO BUSINESSES. I DO THINK IT WILL BE INHERENTLY UNCOMFORTABLE. IT WILL CAUSE A LOT OF GRIEF IN THE COMMUNITY. AND GRIEF IS SOMETHING THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY HAVE TO START EXPRESSING. WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO JUST RUN PAST THESE EVENTS LIKE THE DEATH OF A TEENAGER DID NOT JUST HAPPEN IN OUR BACKYARDS. WE DESERVE ANSWERS. AS A COMMUNITY, AND HIS FAMILY CERTAINLY DESERVES ANSWERS. ALL THOSE WHO HAVE A CONSCIENCE, ALL THOSE WHO HAVE CHILDREN, ALL THOSE WHO HAVE FAMILIES THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED ANY KIND OF GRIEF. WE CALL UPON YOU TO JOIN US IN SOLIDARITY. NOW, HARRIS SAYS THEY’RE GOING TO BE ASKING FOR A ONE DAY BOYCOTT, BUT THEN ENCOURAGE IT TO CONTINUE UNTIL THE PEOPLE’S FAMILY GET SOME ANSWERS. WE’LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN THAT BOYCOTT IS PLANNED.
Black Lives Matter plans boycott in Homewood over lack of transparency in Jabari Peoples’ death
Updated: 9:56 PM CDT Jul 18, 2025
Editorial Standards
Black Lives Matter is planning a boycott of Homewood businesses to pressure city and state leaders to release body camera footage of the police shooting of 18-year-old Jabari Peoples, who was killed last month.In the weeks following his death, Peoples’ loved ones filed a petition to have the body camera footage of the shooting released. The city of Homewood was named in the petition and responded last week, stating they don’t legally have the right to release it, as it’s currently in ALEA custody.Rev. Wayne Taft Harris Jr. of Black Lives Matter said, “One of the busiest businesses in Homewood happens to be Walmart, and that is definitely filled with people of color who go there to shop with black folk, with brown folk who go there to shop. We are going to call for them on a day to not be in that place spending any money.”Even though Homewood police no longer have ownership of the video, Harris believes they still have some influence with ALEA. “Politics is a scratch my back, I scratch yours. So much happened. So much can be moved. And, just on the moral compass side, we know that they have seen the video,” Harris said. “Just as parents, tell us what you saw. That’s a good start.”The owner and workers at a Homewood store expressed their support for the Peoples’ family and the boycott, despite potential financial impacts. Hayley Holdridge of Ritual Shelter said, “I do think it will be inherently uncomfortable. It will cause a lot of grief in the community. And grief is something that we as a community have to start expressing. We cannot continue to just run past these events, like the death of a teenager did not just happen in our backyards. We deserve answers as a community, and his family certainly deserves answers.”Harris called for solidarity, saying, “All those who have a conscious, all those who have children, all those who have families that have experienced any kind of grief. We call upon you to join us in solidarity.”Harris said they will ask for a one-day boycott but will encourage it to continue until the Peoples’ family gets answers.What We KnowJabari Peoples was shot and killed at a park in Homewood on the night of June 23.Police say there was a gun involved, while the family states Peoples was unarmed.The community and family are calling for the bodycam footage to be released. ALEA states it is part of the investigation.The family filed a petition to compel the City of Homewood to release bodycam footage. Homewood filed a response, which hasn’t been released as of July 11. The family has until July 18 to respond to the city and a hearing is set for Aug. 4.The family is considering a potential wrongful death and civil rights lawsuit.The family and attorneys released findings of an independent autopsy, which shows Jabari Peoples was shot in the back and there was no exit would and no bullet. Without video, this information doesn’t prove either side.This is a developing story and will be updated as information becomes available. Stay updated on the latest stories with the WVTM 13 app. You can download it here.
Black Lives Matter is planning a boycott of Homewood businesses to pressure city and state leaders to release body camera footage of the police shooting of 18-year-old Jabari Peoples, who was killed last month.
In the weeks following his death, Peoples’ loved ones filed a petition to have the body camera footage of the shooting released. The city of Homewood was named in the petition and responded last week, stating they don’t legally have the right to release it, as it’s currently in ALEA custody.
Rev. Wayne Taft Harris Jr. of Black Lives Matter said, “One of the busiest businesses in Homewood happens to be Walmart, and that is definitely filled with people of color who go there to shop with black folk, with brown folk who go there to shop. We are going to call for them on a day to not be in that place spending any money.”
Even though Homewood police no longer have ownership of the video, Harris believes they still have some influence with ALEA. “Politics is a scratch my back, I scratch yours. So much happened. So much can be moved. And, just on the moral compass side, we know that they have seen the video,” Harris said. “Just as parents, tell us what you saw. That’s a good start.”
The owner and workers at a Homewood store expressed their support for the Peoples’ family and the boycott, despite potential financial impacts.
Hayley Holdridge of Ritual Shelter said, “I do think it will be inherently uncomfortable. It will cause a lot of grief in the community. And grief is something that we as a community have to start expressing. We cannot continue to just run past these events, like the death of a teenager did not just happen in our backyards. We deserve answers as a community, and his family certainly deserves answers.”
Harris called for solidarity, saying, “All those who have a conscious, all those who have children, all those who have families that have experienced any kind of grief. We call upon you to join us in solidarity.”
Harris said they will ask for a one-day boycott but will encourage it to continue until the Peoples’ family gets answers.
- Jabari Peoples was shot and killed at a park in Homewood on the night of June 23.
- Police say there was a gun involved, while the family states Peoples was unarmed.
- The community and family are calling for the bodycam footage to be released. ALEA states it is part of the investigation.
- The family filed a petition to compel the City of Homewood to release bodycam footage. Homewood filed a response, which hasn’t been released as of July 11. The family has until July 18 to respond to the city and a hearing is set for Aug. 4.
- The family is considering a potential wrongful death and civil rights lawsuit.
- The family and attorneys released findings of an independent autopsy, which shows Jabari Peoples was shot in the back and there was no exit would and no bullet. Without video, this information doesn’t prove either side.
This is a developing story and will be updated as information becomes available. Stay updated on the latest stories with the WVTM 13 app. You can download it here.
