Arrests at Homewood Protest One Month After Jabari Peoples' Death

Protests Continue in Homewood Following Police Shooting of Jabari Peoples

A peaceful protest took place in Homewood this week, marking a significant moment in the ongoing demonstrations following the death of Jabari Peoples. Five individuals were arrested during the event, which drew around 30 to 40 participants. The gathering occurred at the Homewood Soccer Park at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, coinciding with the one-month anniversary of Peoples’ death.

Peoples was shot and killed on June 23, and his family has been seeking transparency regarding the incident. Alabama Law Enforcement has refused to provide the family with video footage of the shooting, citing the need to preserve the integrity of the investigation. This refusal has only intensified the frustration among community members and activists.

The protesters initially assembled at the soccer park before moving to a nearby Circle K convenience store located at the intersection of Columbiana Road and Lakeshore Parkway. They held a peaceful demonstration at the site for approximately 20 minutes. However, the situation escalated when some demonstrators entered the traffic lanes, leading to the arrest of five individuals.

Lieutenant John Carr confirmed the arrests and stated that those detained face charges of disorderly conduct. One of the arrested individuals, Celida Soto, shared a video on social media while being taken into custody. In the video, she expressed her anger and frustration, stating, “No justice, no peace.” She also claimed that the authorities are hiding the truth, saying, “Jabari Peoples, they don’t want to show the video cause they know they some damn criminals.”

Despite the arrests, no injuries or property damage were reported. Activists have warned that Homewood will likely become the epicenter of more protests in the coming weeks. Wayne T. Harris, director of communications for Black Lives Matter Birmingham, addressed local city leaders last week, emphasizing the group’s commitment to organizing demonstrations. He stated, “We will shut Homewood down for justice,” adding that the group plans to hold rallies, sit-ins, die-ins, and vigils throughout the downtown area.

Jabari Peoples was a 2024 graduate of Aliceville High School, where he excelled as a track athlete and football player. He had recently completed his first year at Alabama A&M University, where he was studying computer information systems and criminal justice with aspirations of becoming a law enforcement officer, specifically a detective.

The incident occurred on a Monday night at the Homewood Soccer Park. According to Homewood police, a veteran officer approached Peoples’ vehicle due to an increase in criminal activity in the area. The officer reportedly smelled marijuana and ordered Peoples and his female companion out of the car. The encounter allegedly turned violent when Peoples resisted, broke free from the officer, and grabbed a gun from the driver’s side door pocket. The officer then shot Peoples, who later died at UAB Hospital.

However, Peoples’ family and his attorney, Leroy Maxwell, along with civil rights lawyer Ben Crump, disputed the police account. They claim that Peoples was not armed and did not resist. The Homewood Police Department has since handed over the case to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), which is standard procedure for officer-involved shootings.

ALEA denied the family's request to view the video footage, arguing that releasing it could compromise the ongoing investigation. While Alabama law allows families to access body camera and dash cam videos, it also permits law enforcement to withhold the footage for investigative purposes.

Since the shooting, there have been multiple protests across the region, including at the Homewood Police Department, ALEA’s office, Homewood City Hall, and during the World Police and Fire Games in the Birmingham area. Wednesday’s events marked the first arrests during any of these demonstrations.