FORT VALLEY, Ga. — As the Georgia Bureau of Investigation continues to investigate the fatal shooting of 20-year-old Caleb Hooten, his family still has questions about his death.
Now, the Houston County NAACP has announced their support for the Hootens.
Peach County Deputy Hermes Rodriguez shot and killed Hooten after a traffic stop in October. A press release from the GBI says Hooten didn't stop when deputies tried to pull him over on State University Drive in Fort Valley.
That's when deputies chased him. The GBI says Hooten ran into the woods behind the Marvin Gardens apartment complex.
Deputies followed him into the woods where, they say, Hooten pulled out a gun. That's when the GBI says, Rodriguez shot and killed Hooten.
"He was fleeing the officer, which we agree on, but the thing about whether he was a threat-- he wasn't a threat," Houston County NAACP President Jonathan Johnson said.
He was joined by Richard Weldon, the legal regress chair, who's been overseeing the investigation process on behalf of the organization.
"Caleb was running and when he was running, he was shot in the back," Johnson said. "That proves he was no threat to the police officer."
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The GBI has been investigating since the incident on Oct. 10.
"The policeman really had no right to shoot at him, because his life wasn't on the line, he wasn't a threat," Johnson said. "We hope it will rule in Caleb's favor, that this was an excessive shooting."
Special Agent Jerry Jones says his office has been processing physical and digital evidence, witness and deputy interviews, as well as analyzing evidence at the crime lab.
Johnson said his chapter is supporting the Hootens in the legal process.
He said Willie Hooten, Caleb's father, saw his son's body and is questioning the GBI's previous report.
"The report states on his death certificate that he has one bullet wound in his chest and one bullet in his back, but he actually had no bullet wounds in the chest, the two bullet wounds were in the back," Johnson said.
Jan. 10 marks 90 days since the incident; Jones says he believes his office will send its concluded investigation to District Attorney Anita Howard's office by next week.
Howard will decide whether the shooting was justified or whether to send the case to a grand jury.
In October, Howard promised the case would be handled, "professionally, thoroughly and transparently."