Alonzo Sentell Bagley
Date: 2/3/2023 Location: Shreveport, LA FACTORS (1,2,3,19)
Name: Alonzo Sentell Bagley
Criminal History/Involved: Yes,Bagley was arrested for domestic abuse battery and resisting arrest in 2018. / Yes, Bagley was reportedly threatening his wife and daughter.
Mental Illness: None reported.
Substance Abuse History/Involved: None reported. / Yes, Bagley’s wife called 911 and stated “he’s loaded on something”, “drunk on that Kentucky deluxe”, had marijuana in his room and was threatening her and her daughter.
Race/Sex/Age: Black/Male/43
Officer(s) involved: Shreveport Police Officer Alexander Tyler and unnamed officer.
What prompted the initial contact with police? At around 10:50 p.m. on February 3, 2023, Shreveport Police Officers responded to a 911 call of domestic disturbance at Alonzo Bagley’s apartment.
Actions taken by subject towards police: Bagley answered the door while holding a bottle of what appeared to be liquor in his right hand and refused the officer’s request to exit the apartment. Bagley ignored the officers’ commands, walked away from them, went to a room in the back of the apartment and then went out onto the 2nd floor balcony where he jumped down onto the ground and ran.
Reactions by the police: The second officer unholstered his gun as he pushed the door open and observed Bagley fleeing over the balcony, grabbing something as he went. Both officers gave chase, and after neighbors pointed out Bagley’s direction of flight, Officer Tyler reached the entryway of one of the buildings in the complex that Bagley had run toward. When Bagley unexpectedly came out of the shadows without his hands visible, Officer Tyler reflexively shot him one time in the chest.
Outcome of investigation into the fatal police incident: Officer Tyler was arrested and charged with first-degree negligent homicide and felony malfeasance.
What could the subject have done that day to still be alive today? Bagley could still be alive today if he: did not get drunk/high on drugs and threaten his wife and children, prompting her to call 911; complied with the officers initial orders and peacefully exited his apartment to talk to them; complied with the officers lawful orders and not retreated inside his apartment, jumped out the window and fled on foot; not surprised Officer Tyler by exiting his hiding space.
Miscellaneous: Bagley’s wife told the 911 dispatcher that he was “raging” “bumping the wall” and when asked she said she didn’t know if he had a weapon.
Justified Use of Deadly Force? After the fact it is easy for critics to claim it was not a case of justified deadly force – but for the officer who was chasing an uncooperative, possibly armed and reported violent man under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, around buildings in the dark of night, when that man popped out from the shadows and surprised the officer, the officer reflexively pulled the trigger while pointing at what he reasonably perceived at that moment was a deadly threat. Officers have been ambushed and killed in the line of duty in such situations, so Officer Tyler was not wrong for having his weapon unholstered and ready, nor for instinctively reacting as he did when Bagley surprised him in the entryway coming toward him, making this a tragic but justified use of deadly force.
