The funeral for a man killed by West Monroe police in an alleged shootout has been set, but authorities won’t tell his family anything.
Funeral services for Shady Bell, Jr. (AKA Dre’a and Little Nard) will be held on Saturday, December 2, 2017 at 2 p.m. at the Smith Funeral Home Chapel in Monroe.
Bell was killed by multiple gunfire by West Monroe Police officers who responded to a domestic disturbance.
Last week police reported that Bell had a weapon and shot at police, prompting multiple officers to open fire on him.
The manager of a nearby store reported that there were between 15-20 shots fired in the incident which resulted in Bell’s death.
Rene’ Harrison, Bell’s sister, said Friday that the family has not been given any details about their family member’s death.
Harrison said the family became concerned when it received unofficial information that the officers “thought” Bell had a gun, but then later they heard more unofficial information that he had a gun and shot at the officers. The only thing the family is hearing is unofficial and word of mouth, said Harrison
She said the family asked to view the video of the shooting.
“We know there is an investigation underway, but we wanted to privately see the video to clear up our doubts created by conflicting versions of the shooting that the family received unofficially,” said Harrison. She said the family’s request to see the video or to even get a copy of the autopsy report was denied.
She said the West Monroe Police Department told her that when the Sheriff’s investigation is complete that the findings would be turned over to the DA’s office.
She said family members were concerned because of reports that a West Monroe police officer shot and killed a homeless man who he thought had a weapon. They want to see the video to assure themselves that he was actually shooting at officers.
Out of fear that the WMPD may not be forthcoming with the family, Harrison said the family has ordered its own autopsy report which is inclusive until the West Monroe releases the results of its autopsy and toxicology report.
The family’s autopsy report is inconclusive, said Harrison. “They know now that he was shot at least six times, but they don’t know exactly how many times because they (Ouachita Autopsy) have removed all of his organs except his heart,” said Harrison.
Harrison said the family is not casting blame at this point, but the fact that the department is refusing to tell them anything other than “its under investigation” seems suspicious. “They said it’s standard procedure when there is an officer-involved shooting,” Harrison said.
“We just want to see the video of him shooting,” said Harrison.
She said Bell has had run-ins with the law over the years, but she is frustrated that when someone has been killed that the family of the man killed by the police is told nothing. She said, according to WMPD it could be several weeks before their investigation ends.
Ouachita Parish Sheriff Jay Russell said Friday that his department is conducting the investigation. He said he doesn’t know what transpired at the West Monroe Police Department but his office will work with the family in whatever ways legally possible to show respect for a life that has been lost.
