This officer-involved shooting resulted in the death of 28-year-old Alquan Suydam. Suydam had been previously convicted of domestic battery. On the night of the shooting, a 9-1-1 call was placed, with the caller reporting Suydam had punched his pregnant girlfriend in her stomach while armed with a firearm. Three days prior, a similar report had been made, but Suydam had fled the scene before officers had arrived. When Officers Duhon, Shirk and Melton arrived to the apartment complex, they found Suydam in the passenger seat of a car. As the officer approached, Suydam exited the vehicle and began walking away with his hand in his pocket. The officers gave multiple loud verbal commands for Suydam to show his hands. Rather than comply, Suydam looked directly at the officers and raised his right arm with the firearm in his hand, pointing the firearm directly at the responding officers. The officers shot at Suydam, hitting him in his lower body. Once he was on the ground, Suydam dropped the handgun he had been holding. Officers took Suydam into custody and provided emergency medical care. Suydam was taken to a hospital where he died.
 
The State Attorney’s Office will independently review the incident to assess the legality of the officers’ actions. Once that is complete, JSO will conduct an internal review to ensure the officers acted within policy. Then, a Response to Resistance Board will convene, and the findings will be submitted to the Sheriff for final review. JSO is releasing this in the interest of transparency. Conclusions on the incident remain pending.

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