OP-NAT EYE
April 30, 2020
UPDATE Saturday, May 2, 2020: District Attorney General Craig Northcott responds to OP-NAT EYE
We wrote the DA prior to publishing, but did not hear back until yesterday. He said that he has not yet seen any of the photos and videos from the original scene at Tullahoma Village Apartments. Northcott indicated that he is willing to view all the evidence, including any and all witness statements.
“I want to make sure a full investigation has been conducted so that justice can be done in this and every case,” Northcott wrote. We sent him copies of the photos, videos and witness statements. We’ll continue updating as we learn more.
—ORIGINAL STORY—
TULLAHOMA, TN — When a small town of 18,000 people has two incidents in two years that capture the attention of our editors, then there are real, tangible issues with cop thuggery in the area.
The latest incident occurred this past Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Tullahoma Village Apartments.
Police said they received a domestic dispute call involving a man inside a blue GMC truck. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigations (TBI) said the man fled the scene alone in the vehicle when Tullahoma cops attempted to make contact. The police did not immediately pursue the vehicle. The truck was spotted again by police minutes later, less than a mile away, near West Waggoner Street and South Jackson Street.
According to TBI, the situation “escalated,” causing the cop to shoot at the man inside the vehicle. Police said the cop shot at the vehicle “for reasons still under investigation.” TBI also said the man “continued to drive into neighboring Franklin County,” indicating the cop shot at a moving vehicle. The truck was ultimately stopped when Franklin County cops laid down spike strips.
The man, now identified as 24-year-old A’Brialyn Jaron’te Bush (also seen it spelled Abrailyn Bush), was transported to a local hospital with a single gunshot wound. He was last reported in stable condition. The cop was rewarded for the shooting with a paid vacation, aka paid administrative leave. Meanwhile Mr. Bush is facing charges related to the domestic dispute and whatever else police conjure up.
Malicious intent by cop Jacob Smith
TBI has not released the name of the cop publicly. But an OP-NAT EYE source identified the cop as Jacob Smith. We attempted contacting both Tullahoma Police and TBI to confirm. Neither responded. But there is in fact a cop on the force named Jacob Smith.
We also received photos and videos of the initial scene at Tullahoma Villages Apartments. It appears Mr. Bush took off because Smith was aiming a shotgun at him.
Apparently you are just supposed to let feral cops shoot you, hope you live, and let the system built to protect cops provide you “justice.”
Ms. Christa Davis witnessed the initial encounter at the apartment complex. She also recorded video of the incident. Ms. Davis said it all started before 7 p.m., contradicting the official report.
“The white cop (Smith) told the black cop to let him go,” Ms. Davis stated. Smith apparently did not want to chase the vehicle. “[Then Smith said] if he comes back, he is dead. Those were his exact words.” The video appears to corroborate that.
What’s next for A’Brialyn Bush?
The case has been referred to 14th District Attorney General Craig Northcott to determine charges against Mr. Bush. It seems we’re always quoting the 1985 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Tennessee v. Garner, 471 U.S. 1. Graham v. Connor, 490 U.S. 386 (1989) established the “objective reasonableness standard” related to excessive force claims five years later.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that cops are not supposed to fire upon fleeing suspects unless there is a “good faith belief” that said suspects poses a threat to themselves or others. The black cop at the scene acknowledged Mr. Bush was unarmed. Furthermore, no reasonable person can believe shooting at a moving vehicle is reasonable. The consequences can be absolutely dire to the public. The Supreme Court is apparently a powerless entity, as cops ignore these precedents with impunity.
The nation’s highest court has never directly addressed police shooting at moving vehicles from what we can find. But legal scholars and policymakers tend to agree that cops shooting at moving vehicles is dangerous, reckless and irresponsible.
We’re told that Mr. Bush has two children. We’ll continue following this story and update as necessary.
I took the video and now people going around saying I’m a snitch like tf
This is another malicious attack on the young black american man. I know justice will be served and I pray that these cops make better decision s with dealing unarmed citizens. This could have been easily another Michael Brown or Trayvon Martin. Thank you God he did not kill my little cousin.
This is the same cop that pulled his weapon out on my 10yr old daughter. I was advised to file a complaint so I did so and nothing ever came of it per usual.smh this man is a piece of shit and clearly doesn’t need to be a cop.
I have many stories to tell about how coffee county in general has really impacted people over frivolous and sometimes knowing the person’s innocent including the public defender and still let me people plea to long sentences. The young man shot a couple years ago went to prison over smashing mailboxes originally. Charged at 17 if i remember right.
While shooting at a FLEEING vehicle is wrong, he did not just “continue to drive into FC”. It was a high speed chase putting not only Officers from FC in harms way but also innocent people on the roads.
The charges will not be trumped up. People need to learn to man up to their mistakes. Domestic violence is a serious problem and here lately so is running from the law.
Officer Smith should be dealt with as the TBI finishes their investigation as well as Mr. Bush.
This is exactly what happened they do not do there jobs period they take kids away even after DC’s appoves the parents because they have people like Craig northcott he is my son’s uncle and I am Mrs Davis he also doesn’t believe in domestic violance when it come to same sex couple s and doesn’t like some spiritual beliefs he will let this cop get aways with it if they let him just like they did marks and threw Austin s out after guy shit him threw a door I hope at least someone in Tullahoma gets justice but as Craig said in one of his video s it only takes 5 dresses not all nine so I believe that this will be thrown out unless they move the da to someone that is not in conflict with the family to at least make it already have a chance to be solved properly
Thank you once again Opnateye for bringing some attention to the injustice we go thru in Tullahoma. Tullahoma PD only fired at this man for being black. If you look at the pictures, the black officer had her hand on her firearm and the other officer (white officer) is saying shoot and knowing he was unarmed. Furthermore, where are the spikes strips? Isn’t that protocol? Tullahoma PD EXPLAIN YOURSELF.