Dramatic body camera video shows Decatur police officers and a Macon County Sheriff’s deputy fighting for their lives after Jamontey O. Neal pulled a gun on them in a traffic stop and opened fire first.
The videos, 10 in all, show the 32-year-old Neal opening fire at point-blank range in the early morning traffic stop Oct. 12 and then being shot down and killed as his body is hit by multiple shots from return fire. He had earlier repeatedly refused commands to get out of the car and opened fire with one of two guns he had within his vehicle.
One video shows Decatur Police Sgt. Timothy Wittmer’s hair being ruffled by a passing bullet and the officer falling to the ground as he is hit multiple times. His semi-automatic service pistol jams as he lays on the rain-soaked pavement and he quickly clears it before opening fire and appearing to empty his magazine at Neal who collapses, his body twitching with bullet impacts.
Four police officers had returned fire at Neal: three Decatur officers and Macon County Sheriff’s Deputy Travis Wolfe.
Decatur Police Chief Shane Brandel said Wittmer narrowly escaped being killed and his situation was the ultimate nightmare for any officer: under fire, fully exposed with his weapon jammed. He said officers spend hours learning to clear jams fast and “muscle memory” had kicked in for Wittmer, who now has no recollection of working at lightning speed to get his gun operational again.
Wittmer and Officer Austin Bowman, who was shot once, are both continuing to recover and remain on leave while the fatal shooting is investigated by the Illinois State Police, which is standard procedure.
The Decatur officers who confronted Neal are part of the police department’s Community Action Team which targets criminals with illegal guns. Brandel, speaking at a news conference to release the videos Monday, said officers had been tipped off that Neal, who has previously served a 15-year sentence for offenses that included gun crime, was armed.
Brandel said the eight-strong CAT team, along with the police Street Crimes Unit, has seized 73 illegally-possessed guns since May.
“Without a doubt I am certain they have prevented numerous shootings and homicides within our city,” said Brandel.
“With that, though, comes very dangerous work. Again, when we show the videos you will see how dangerous it can be and how it can be that way very fast.”
The chief said Neal’s family had also been shown the videos prior to them being made available on the police department website.
The police chief said he was in contact with Macon County State’s Attorney Scott Rueter who will review the Illinois State Police investigation findings to decide if the use of deadly force was justified. “I hope that (Rueter’s ruling on the evidence) will happen in the near future,” he added. “I want to try and have this done in a timely manner so that we as a community can move forward.”
Reaction from community leaders at Monday’s news conference suggested the police had made their point by releasing such a comprehensive package of videos that showed the grim shooting incident from start to finish and from various angles.
“I think it shows a convincing picture, it’s pretty plain,” said Michael Diggs, president of the Decatur Branch of the NAACP. “I am just thankful that we now have these police body cams. I think people will see this and understand.”
Diggs said the wider problem of too many illegal guns on the streets of cities like Decatur remains and persists and is an issue society at large must face and deal with, and not just one to be left to the police.
“We must continue to fight to get those guns out of our communities,” he added.
The Rev. Courtney Carson, assistant vice president of external affairs for Richland Community College and a community activist, said a fatal shooting like this spreads pain and hurt among many families. He said he grieved for Neal’s family, noting he has children of high school age.
“We need to make sure that psychologically they are where they need to be so that they can continue to grow and develop into better human beings,” he said.
