The family of Daniel Hambrick held a press conference Wednesday evening to discuss the release of new footage of the fatal shooting of Hambrick at the hands of Nashville police Officer Andrew Delke. The family is also demanding the immediate firing of Delke and that he be charged with murder.
In the video, Hambrick appears to be running away with an object in his hand when Officer Delke stops, takes aim, and shoots. According to reports, Hambrick was struck multiple times in his back and in the back of the head.
Attorney Joy Kimbrough, who represents the family said: “They shot him in the back. The police officer fired four times. He fell to the ground where he was cuffed and left there like a dog—worse than a dog. He was left there until the ambulance arrived.”
Earlier in the day, District Attorney General Glen Funk’s office released video footage from the MLK Magnet School campus showing the fatal shooting of Daniel Hambrick. TBI recovered the video on Friday, July 27, and had recently determined “that the release of the video would no longer compromise the integrity of the investigation.”
The video was shown to the Hambrick Family shortly before being released to the media.
Previously, TBI had released surveillance video from the Metro Development Housing Agency (MDHA containing footage of the incident.
The Nashville Branch of the NAACP released the following statement: “This morning we had the opportunity to view new video footage of the shooting of Daniel Hambrick along with his mother and family members. We have concluded that officer Andrew Delke did not have justification to fire his weapon at Mr. Hambrick.
“We now demand that Officer Andrew Delke be relieved of duty and charged with the murder of Daniel Hambrick immediately.
“We are also asking the FBI Supervisory Special Agent in charge, Richard Baer, immediately begin a civil rights investigation to insure that all evidence is secured and that a fair transparent investigation is completed.
“Lastly, we ask that the FBI conduct a review of the Metro Davidson Police Department to ensure that this never happens again. We as the community remain hopeful that justice will be served and that the truth will be revealed.”
Earlier in the day, Nashville Mayor David Briley addressed the issue saying: “Plenty of questions still remain. This video sheds some light on those circumstances. It’s equally important that while we pass time waiting for the investigation to be complete that we be patient, that we reserve actions, that we conduct ourselves as Nashville always does—in a peaceful and orderly way.”
Briley called for working with the Policing Project to resolve policing issues, which is different from the Citizens Oversight Board (COB) that Black activists are calling for.
“It’s designed to counter the COB,” said Sekou Franklin of Community Oversight Now.
“The COB can do a lot of things that not necessarily lead to discipline, but can affect positively the ecosystem of policing, [and] also the broader issue of the relationship between bail reform and policing, and the DA’s response to a shooting.”
Meanwhile, the Hambrick family is asking for privacy while they grieve, and that any protest that may occur be peaceful.
