22-Year-Old Fatally Shot at Omaha Police Brutality Protest
- James Scurlock, a 22-year-old Black man, was fatally shot on May 30, 2020, in the Old Market area of Omaha, Nebraska.
- Surveillance video from the area showed a group of people, including Scurlock, vandalizing businesses in the Old Market district.
- A verbal confrontation took place involving a woman and the group, during which Gardner's elderly father was shoved to the ground.
James Scurlock, a 22-year-old Black man, was fatally shot on May 30, 2020, in the Old Market area of Omaha, Nebraska. The shooting occurred around 11 p.m. During protests against police brutality following the death of George Floyd.
Surveillance video from the area showed a group of people, including Scurlock, vandalizing businesses in the Old Market district. The footage captured Scurlock and others being approached in the street by Jacob Gardner, a 38-year-old bar owner, Gardner’s father, and another male.
A verbal confrontation took place involving a woman and the group, during which Gardner’s elderly father was shoved to the ground. Gardner intervened in the altercation and revealed a concealed handgun from his waistband. As he moved away from the group, Gardner verbally threatened them to stay back.
Scurlock was fatally shot during the encounter.
Legal Proceedings and Outcome
Jacob Gardner faced several criminal charges following the incident, including:
- Manslaughter
- Attempted first-degree assault
- Making terroristic threats
- Felony use of a weapon
Following these events, Gardner committed suicide.
Organizational Response
The National Lawyers Guild issued a statement on June 1, 2020, regarding the death of Scurlock. The organization described the shooter as an alleged white supremacist yelling racial slurs
.