Friends and family held a rally and candlelight vigil Wednesday night for a South Jersey man who was shot and killed by police officers during a traffic stop.
The rally for 36-year-old Jerame Reid began at 6 p.m. on South Avenue in Bridgeton, New Jersey. The rally was followed by a candlelight vigil at the Bridgeton courthouse.
The event comes as Reid's loved ones continue to search for answers regarding what exactly happened the night of his death.
On Dec. 30, around 9:20 p.m. police officers in Bridgeton, New Jersey opened fire on Reid after they pulled over a Jaguar at South Avenue and Henry Street. Reid later died after being rushed to the hospital.
Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae said Bridgeton police officers Braheme Days and Roger Worley both shot one of two people who were in the stopped Jaguar. Those officers have since been placed on paid leave, according to Bridgeton Police Chief Mark Ott.
Officer Days already had a reputation in the community prior to the shooting, according to Reid's friend Shiquera Sierra.
"Everybody around here in this community can tell you Braheme Days, one of the cops that shot him, has harassed people and has kicked in people's doors," she said.
Webb-McRae said a handgun "was revealed and later recovered" from the the Jaguar. Her office did not return a call or email seeking more details on what led to the shooting or initial traffic stop however.
Officials identified the car's driver as Leroy Tutt. He was questioned in connection to the shooting but has not been charged. Tutt was jailed in June, 2011 for failure to appear in court on a revoked license.
Witnesses said the scene was chaotic after the shooting and Reid was shot after he was ordered to get out of the car.
Denzel Mosley, 17, said he watched the scene unfold from the attic of his house, which is on the corner of the street in front of where the shooting happened. He said both of Reid's hands were in "plain sight" and he didn't see a gun.
"They were telling him, 'Get out the car,'" he said. "They (police) was like 'Stop!' and they started shooting."
A bullet hole was visible in the windshield of the vehicle.
Tahli Dawkins, who was taking out his recycling at the time of the shooting, also told NBC10 he witnessed the incident.
"He had nothing in his hands," Dawkins said. "He had his hands up trying to get out of the car, one on the door was getting out like this and he just started shooting him."
Reid's widow, Lawanda Reid, hired a law firm in hopes of finding out exactly what transpired the night of her husband's death.
"We just want answers why this happened," she said. "No one deserves to die like that."
Lawanda Reid called for an independent investigation and said she planned her own autopsy of her husband's body.
Jerame Reid had a three-month-old son, according to his cousin Keesha Springs. He was also incarcerated last summer for possession of heroin, cocaine, contempt of court and resisting arrest. Springs told NBC10 he was trying to turn his life around.
"He was a good kid," Springs said. "He had a troubled past but after that he became a good person. I love my cousin. Everybody has their bad times and he had his bad times. But he was very lovable."
Photo Credit: NBC10.com
