Video: NAACP Wants FBI, DOJ Involved in Officer Shooting Investigation

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COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) — The Lowndes County chapter of the NAACP wants the FBI and U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the shooting death of Ricky Ball.

The request was made Thursday during a meeting with city leaders and Columbus Police Chief Tony Carleton.

Chapter president Lavonne Harris says the organization is also requesting officer Canyon Boykin be fired, and officers Johnny Branch and Yolanda Young to be suspended.

“He violated a lot of their policies, and also I know for a fact he was suspended last year for not having his recorder on,” Harris said. “We don’t feel the other two officers need to be right now on administrative leave with pay. But I know still they can be suspended with pay. So, that needs to happen immediately.”

Currently, the three on are paid administrative leave while the October 16 officer involved shooting is under investigation.

After talking with the NAACP, WCBI sat down with Mayor Robert Smith to get his thoughts about the request.

“There’s a good possibility they will be disciplined prior to the completion of the MBI investigation, but the recommendation will have to come from Chief Tony Carleton,” Smith said.

If that were to happen, the officers would have a civil service hearing. They already have an attorney.

Smith says Carleton has contacted the FBI.