OMAHA, Neb. — Tuesday was an emotional day for the family of Kenneth Jones as they were allowed to sit down at the Douglas County Courthouse and watch video footage from the night he was shot and killed by an Omaha police officer.
Some were in tears as they viewed the footage. Family members say they showed up to see firsthand how it happened and maybe get a better understanding of why it happened.
"I am at a loss for words. What they showed on TV is really no different from here. He posed no threat, he didn't pull out a gun," says Shan'e Perkins, Jones' sister.
Police body footage, as well as dashboard footage, was shown to family. They watched, analyzed, and questioned the footage.
"The footage time and date were not the same. There was like one point where they said he pulled out a gun but I still did not see it even with the footage that they had shown on TV," adds Perkins.
Jones was asked more than a dozen times to show his hands. Police body-cam video shows an officer saying he felt Jones' hand on a gun as they were struggling. The video showed a gunfound on the ground underneath Jones after he was shot.
Family members say they believe no matter what happened that night, the outcome would have not changed.
"I think either way it would have ended up the way it did. He could have put his hands up but it varied on the state he was in," Perkins said.
Family members say despite what was heard, they did not see a gun.
The family was emotional as they watched a video of the police yelling at Jones to show them his hands, even after he was shot.
"Clearly, they shot my brother and he was not able to, I believe he was dead at that time," adds Perkins.
Perkins' right foot shook as she watched, trying to control her emotions. They say they are going to miss so many things about him.
"His personality, his style, his laughter, his laugh. I am going to miss that most," Perkins said.
The family has a lawyer and says for them, the case is far from being closed.
A grand jury reviewed the case and cleared the officers who were involved in the incident.
