Christopher Whitfield, a 31-year-old African American man from Ethel, Louisiana, was fatally shot by a sheriff’s deputy on October 14, 2019. Deputies from the East Feliciana Parish Sheriff’s Office had responded after a convenience store owner reported a man breaking into an outdoor cooler and taking food. Whitfield fled with what was reported to be a box of fried chicken, and during a foot pursuit Deputy Glenn Sims Sr. discharged his firearm.

The sheriff’s office described the shooting as accidental, saying the deputy fired one shot into the ground to stop Whitfield and the weapon discharged a second time, striking and killing him. The shooting prompted protests and scrutiny because Whitfield was running away and had a diagnosed mental illness. The Louisiana State Police assisted an investigation, and Deputy Sims was placed on paid administrative leave. A grand jury ultimately returned a no true bill, and no criminal charges proceeded; the family was reported to be considering a civil suit.

Does anyone have information about Whitfield’s final movements that day or witnesses to the pursuit?