Watch the full video here. Some viewers may find it disturbing.
The dash cam footage of the officer-involved shooting late Halloween night was released Wednesday, Jan. 20, by the district attorney's office.
The footage captures Opelika police officer Jared Greer, a three-year veteran of OPD, follow Bennie Lee Tignor, 56, in a low-speed car chase.
Tignor was driving in a red Ford Explorer, swerving into the other lane multiple times. Tignor led Greer to a trailer on the 400 block of Comanchee Drive, later identfited as his residence. Tignor got out of the car and ignored Greer's orders to stop.
Tignor stumbled up the stairs, but Greer pulled him back down.
A woman inside the trailer asked what was happening, and Greer said he was attempting to arrest Tignor for driving under the influence and attempting to elude police. He repeatedly told Tignor to put his hands behind his back, but Tignor resisted.
Much of the altercation took place behind Tignor's red Ford Explorer, out of sight of the dash cam.
"This m----- f----- trying to fight me baby," Tignor said to the woman in the trailer. Betty Ligon, Tignor's girlfriend, and her daughter Shikeria Ligon, witnessed the shooting.
He then came around the car, brandishing a small silver pistol.
Greer shouted for Tignor to drop it twice, then fired his weapon nine times. The altercation lasted approximately 1 minute and 10 seconds.
A woman can be heard screaming and crying for several minutes after the shooting. While they are waiting for an ambulance to arrive, Greer spoke to Tignor, who was on the ground.
"Listen here buddy, can you hear me, can you hear me?" Greer said. "Stay with me now, bud, we've got help coming, OK?"
The microphone Greer is wearing cuts off shortly afterward.
Other police arrived on scene, and a woman is told to stay inside the tailer. Paramedics treat Tignor for approximately 13 minutes on the scene before transporting him.
Tignor later died at East Alabama Medical Center.
Greer was cleared by a Lee County grand jury on Friday, Jan. 15, in the shooting death of Tignor, according to a press release issued by the district attorney's office.
The evidence examined by the grand jury was gathered during an independent investigation by the State Bureau of Investigation in Montgomery, according to the release.
“I would first like to thank the State Bureau of Investigation for their handling of this investigation," Opelika Police Chief John McEachern said in a statement. "I also want to thank them for the expeditious manner in completing the investigation. Due process has been followed, and we stand by the findings of the Lee County Grand Jury."
John Harris, Lee County Commissioner for District 5 and family friend of the Tignors, called for more police training and a stronger connection with the community. He said he does not have a problem with the district attorney or police because of mutual respect, something he wishes for everyone in the community.
District Attorney Robbie Treese privately met with concerned community leaders to address their concerns about the shooting, and plans to release the entire dash cam footage later this week, according to the release.
Harris said Treese has done a good job communicating with him and other community members.
"[Treese is] really trying to reach out to us in the community," Harris said.
Harris said he has seen the dash cam footage, and believes Greer should have called for backup and fired too many times.
"There's too many questions," Harris said. "I think [the grand jury] should have looked at it more closely."
McEachern said the shooting was justified at press conference on Nov. 1.
Family members of Tignor told the press that they had cellphone footage of the shooting but later said no footage existed. Walter Tignor, Tignor's brother told The Auburn Plainsman Tignor was unarmed and was trying to enter his house when he was shot.
"All we saw was something in the hand, we didn't know if it was a gun or keys," Harris 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.
