Omaha Grand Jury Indicts Bar Owner Over Fatal Shooting Of Black Protester In May
Jake Gardner faces four charges, including manslaughter. While local officials initially ruled he had acted in self-defense, a special prosecutor said on Tuesday that new evidence suggested otherwise.
A grand jury in Omaha, Neb., on Tuesday indicted the white bar owner who fatally shot a Black man during protests for racial justice in May.
Jake Gardner shot 22-year-old James Scurlock in an altercation on May 30, during a tense night of protests in the city following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Initially, after reviewing video footage, Douglas County District Attorney Don Kleine ruled the shooting an act of and released Gardner from custody. He quickly and requested a grand jury and special prosecutor review the case, saying he hoped it would restore public faith in the justice system. Community members and Scurlock's family had called for such an investigation.
