Civil rights attorney Ben Crump and the family of Asia Bennett are holding a news conference Thursday in Jacksonville following the release of police body-camera footage showing the fatal Aug. 11 shooting of the 22-year-old woman.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office released the footage Wednesday, prompting Bennett’s family and legal team to call the deadly shooting horrific and unjustified.
Bennett was shot twice and killed by a JSO officer on Westdale Drive in the city’s Arlington area after police responded to a domestic violence call.
Officers were dispatched to the home at 10:45 p.m. arriving within three minutes of a domestic emergency call, JSO said. A man who was in a domestic relationship with Bennett met officers outside and reported that Bennett had battered him and remained inside armed with a knife.
While Officer Gaitten spoke with the victim outside, Bennett exited the front door carrying multiple items, including a butcher-style kitchen knife, JSO said. Gaitten unholstered her handgun, pointed it at Bennett and ordered her multiple times to drop the items.
Police reported that Bennett dropped some items but kept holding the knife and advanced toward the officer while shouting. Police said Bennett came within approximately 10 feet of the officer and Gaitten shot her.
Bennett fell to the ground, JSO said adding that she attempted to get up while still holding the knife. Gaitten fired a second shot and Bennett released the knife, JSO said. Officers then placed her in handcuffs.
Bennett was taken to the hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Crump released the following statement challenging what JSO said occurred when Bennett was killed:
“Asia Bennett was nowhere near those officers. She was 22 years old, 110 pounds, a domestic violence victim standing outside her home, and there was no reason to shoot her. Not once, and certainly not twice. That officer had distance. She had time. She had every option a trained law enforcement officer is supposed to reach for before the gun, and she reached for the gun anyway. Asia should be alive today, and her family deserves justice for losing her too soon.”
JSO said had Bennett survived, she would have faced charges of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and domestic battery.
Crump’s news conference with Bennett’s family is scheduled for noon Thursday at Southside Church of God in Christ, 2179 Emerson St., Jacksonville.
The State Attorney’s Office is conducting an independent review to evaluate the legality of the shooting, while JSO performs an internal review to determine if the Officer Gaitten adhered to department policy.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
