Betty Ligon will never be able to forget the image of her boyfriend, Bennie Lee Tignor, being shot and killed by police.
It happened in her front yard, after a low-speed chase through Opelika streets in the last minutes of Halloween.
"He was everything to me ... and to see him get murdered like that ..." Betty said.
The shooting occurred at approximately 11:50 p.m. at the 400 block of Comanchee Drive. According to Opelika Police Chief John McEachern III, OPD Officer Jared Greer shot Bennie after he brandished a small-caliber pistol. Tignor was transported to East Alabama Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 12:32 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1.
"I thought, after he was buried, I would get relief, but I still can't sleep," Betty said.
"Based on preliminary review of the facts of this case, I believe the actions of Officer Greer were clearly justified under Alabama law," McEachern said at a press conference Monday, Nov. 2.
Betty said she had known Bennie for 30 years, and they had been living together for 9 months. She said they met in school, where she was studying nursing and he was studying security.
"He used to walk me to class every day," Betty said.
She said over the years, she watched him grow, despite past arrests. She said he was a changed man.
"You got to see the good in this man, and he was a good man," Betty said.
He was involved in his church and respected in their community, according to Betty. She said he loved her, his children and grandchildren.
"I know he's in heaven right now," Betty said.
Walter Tignor, Bennie's brother, said both Betty and her daughter, Shikeria Ligon, saw the entire scene unfold. He said they took photos of the scene after the incident.
Walter said Betty has been "really upset" since the shooting.
"Every time she close her eyes, she sees [the shooting]," Walter said.
John Andrew Harris, Lee County District 5 commissioner, has been a family friend of the Tignors for approximately 30 years.
"It's a sad situation," Harris said.
Both Walter and Harris said they want the truth to come out.
"I just want to see justice done," Walter said.
In the past week, Betty said Bennie's family has been supportive, and her relationship with them has not changed. However, her life has changed forever.
"[I'm] never going to be the same," Betty said.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
