Grand Jury to Decide Whether to Prosecute Lafayette (LA) Police Officer: Witness says Police Shot Black Man who had Hands Up

In photo Brenda Mason, mother of the Quamaine Mason, and her nephew Bryant Riggs [MORE]  From [HERE] A grand jury will be asked to decide whether there's sufficient evidence to prosecute a Lafayette police officer in the Dec. 9 shooting death of Quamaine Dwayne Mason. A grand jury is scheduled to consider the case July 18, according to Mike Harson, district attorney of the 15th Judicial District Court. If the grand jury finds sufficient evidence, it may issue a true bill. Charges then could be filed against the police officer. Harson then may prosecute him.

Mason, 21, of Carencro was shot to death by a Lafayette police canine officer the evening of Dec. 9 as Mason left his girlfriend's apartment in the Campus Crossings apartment complex on Theater Drive. The Louisiana State Police initial report states, "When the officers arrived on the scene, they encountered an armed suspect at the doorway to an apartment. An officer fired shots at the suspect, fatally wounding him."

Mason's girlfriend told news reporters the next day that Mason's hands were up and his gun was not drawn when the police officer shot him multiple times.

Witnesses have told Mason's family there was an argument inside the apartment involving Mason, his girlfriend, her child's father and another man. During the argument, Mason pulled out a gun and waved it around. By the time police arrived, the two other men had left the apartment, and Mason and his girlfriend, Rochelle Babino, had settled their differences, Mason's cousin Bryant Riggs told The Daily Advertiser last week.

As Mason and Babino exited the apartment, they encountered four to five police officers, guns drawn. Babino told news reporters the next day that Mason raised his hands in response. But a canine officer saw a gun on Mason's hip and shot him. Mason died on the walkway near his girlfriend's apartment. [MORE] 

Louisiana State Police, as is routine in police shootings, investigated the matter and sent the results to Harson's office around May 16. The findings have not been released to the public.

The name of the officer who shot Mason also has not been released. He was placed on paid administrative leave for about two weeks after the shooting but is back on the job.

According to the initial police report from the Lafayette Police Department, on the evening of Dec. 9, "Officers were dispatched to an aggravated burglary in progress with a firearm. An investigation revealed that a known suspect forced his way into the victim's residence."