NAACP Concerned After Officer in Alonzo O'Kelley Shooting Goes Back on the Job

More than a month after 15 year old Alonzo O'Kelley was shot by Housing Authority Police the officer who fired the fatal shot is back on the job. Leaders in a community already distrustful of police, say his reinstatement only makes matters worse.

Alonzo O'Kelley's Mother Gloria Duncan says, "I just feel like my baby been murdered for no reason. They still haven't shown me where he did something wrong. All that I know is that my baby's gone."

Nearly six weeks after she lost her youngest son in a police shooting Duncan is a woman in crisis, "I just want some closure to what happened to my son."

Police say on July 1st 15 year old O'Kelley shot back at a passing car outside East Lake Courts.

Housing Authority Officer Lt. Erik Reeves responded to the shots fired and ordered O'Kelley to drop his gun.

Police say instead O'Kelley pointed his gun at the officer.

Autopsy reports show O'Kelley died of a single gun shot to the back shoulder. Now Lt. Reeves, the officer who fired that fatal shot, is back on the job...

Duncan says, "Ever since they put him back to work I haven't been able to sleep. I'm paranoid all the time."

Chattanooga-Hamilton County NAACP president Valoria Armstrong understands.

She says putting Reeves back in the same neighborhood before the investigation is finalized makes many in this community feel marginalized, "We know that he's back to work. But is there somewhere else where you can place him until you've completed the investigation?"

And with the fatal Chattanooga Police shooting of 32 year old Alonzo Heyward just weeks later...Armstrong says many in the community have questions, "At some point individuals want to know that their voice is being heard."

Legal counsel for the Housing Authority confirmed Lt. Reeves is back on duty but could not comment pending possible litigation.

As for Gloria Duncan...she says closure will be a long time coming, "My son may not have been no angel, but he didn't deserve to die like this."

The NAACP wants to hear community concerns over the recent police involved shootings.

The agency will hold a meeting Tuesday night at the Glenwood Recreation Center.

The meeting starts at 7:00pm and public is invited to attend. [MORE]