TIMELINE: Decatur Police officer-involved shooting death of Steve Perkins

STEVE PERKINS WEB — Image courtesy of the Perkins family

A Decatur man was killed in his front yard during an officer-involved shooting on Sept. 29.

Steve Perkins, 39, was accused of pointing a handgun equipped with a light at a Decatur police officer, “causing the officer to fire at Perkins,” according to a news release from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s State Bureau of Investigation.

Decatur police say they received a call about 1:30 a.m. from a towing company, claiming they had attempted to repossess a car on Ryan Drive. However, they said the vehicle owner, identified as Perkins, threatened the tow truck driver with a handgun, and the driver fled the scene.

Police returned to the scene with the driver, and police say Perkins once again came out from the house with a gun and continued to threaten the driver.

Perkins was shot by an officer and died from his injuries at a hospital.

Ring doorbell camera footage of the incident from Perkins' neighbors circulated through social media, causing a public outcry as people questioned why Perkins was shot.

Following Perkins' death, community members have repeatedly come together in protest, demanding transparency and answers from police. Perkins' family, friends, neighbors, and others say they are tired of seeing their brothers and sisters killed by law enforcement.

Although there have been calls for the release of body camera footage, a statement from the Decatur police chief revealed that decision is out of his hands since ALEA is conducting the investigation and maintains the evidence.

Those angered by Perkins' death believe this officer-involved shooting could have happened to anyone, continuing to echo the statement, "I am Steve Perkins."

Click on any of the links below to learn more about this case. WAAY 31 will update this list as new information is made available.