From The Trussville Tribune staff reports
HOOVER –Just before 7 p.m. Monday, protesters marched into the road way on U.S. Highway 31 in Hoover and stopped traffic. They initially blocked the southbound lanes, but eventually moved across the median and stopped northbound traffic, as well. The bulk of the protesters appeared to remain in the southbound lane, there was also a large crowd gathered on the side of the road.
A police officer arrived at the scene and pleaded with them to move off of the road to no avail.
The crowd was protesting the officer-involved shooting death of Emantic “EJ” Bradford on Thursday in the Riverchase Galleria. Hoover Police originally said Bradford wounded an 18-year-old man and a 12-year-old girl in a shooting in the mall. Friday, police recanted that statement and said Bradford did not fire the shots.
The protesters chanted “no justice, no peace,” “shut it down,” and “f– the police,” as they held signs and refused to move from the roadway. When a dark SUV eased through the crowd, protesters shouted obscenities at the driver.
The crowd began to move toward the Interstate at about 7:30 p.m. and then on toward the Galleria. Media was not permitted inside. Several of the protesters used their cell phones to live stream the event to social media.
After leaving the mall, protesters marched back to Highway 31 and headed north toward City Hall while the Hoover Police blocked traffic for them.
This story is in progress and will be updated as more information becomes available.
Protesters are now inside the Galleria Mall. They walked down Highway 31 from the Hoover Police Department. https://t.co/aFO4y4TNap
— WBHM 90.3 FM (@WBHM) November 27, 2018
HAPPENING NOW: Protests at the Riverchase Galleria mall in Hoover, Alabama where Emantic J Fitzgerald Bradford, Jr was shot & kiled by Birmingham Police. pic.twitter.com/e8GO0ExYzD
— Call me Kari (@LyricalPhetish) November 27, 2018