GBI releases video of Dec. 7 fatal Americus police shootings

AMERICUS — The Georgia Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday released a portion of the video from the body camera of Americus Police Department Officer Nicholas Smarr, 25, one of two officers who was fatally shot Dec. 7 while responding to a domestic violence call at Country Club Estates Apartments on South Lee Street in Americus.

Smarr and Georgia Southwestern State University Police Officer Jody Smith, 26, were wounded by gunfire from Minquel Kennedy Lembrick, 32, during a foot chase. Smith was airlifted to a Macon trauma center, where he died Dec. 8.

The video shows Smarr arriving with Smith at the scene, entering the apartment building and the officers giving chase on foot. The video was edited to end just before the point at which the officers were shot.

“The video is part of the GBI’s active investigation,” Americus Police Chief Mark Scott said at a news conference last Friday. “We will not release the entire video. We will release what we can release, and it will show what happened right up to the event. But the rest of it is not going to be made public.”

In an email containing the video release, Nelly Miles, the public affairs director for the GBI, said the video was redacted “to protect the privacy and to prevent further trauma, sorrow or emotional injury to the immediate families of these officers.” Miles cited a portion of Georgia Code 45-16-27 that deals with crime scene photos and video as providing an exemption from Georgia’s Open Records Law for the redacted portion of the video.

A 27-hour manhunt involving numerous law enforcement agencies was conducted before a tip to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office led to Lembrick being located at 320 Allen Street in Americus. Lembrick committed suicide as law enforcement surrounded the residence.

While the video has been redacted, it still may be disturbing to viewers. The video can be seen at www.albanyherald.com, but viewer discretion is advised.