The NAACP and Eastep family call on law enforcement for change after fatal shooting | News

NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) – The NAACP and Eastep family speak out Friday following the fatal officer-involved shooting on I-65 Thursday.

The attorney of a grieving family called out law enforcement officials after 37-year-old Landon Eastep was shot to death in the middle of the interstate Thursday by police.

The wife Eastep leaves behind, 30-year-old Chelesy Eastep, spoke publicly Friday for the first time. Chelesy, the family attorney as well as NAACP all spoke at Friday evenings news conference. They said that Landon was taken too soon at the hands of law enforcement.

Attorney Joy Kimbrough did not mince words. “This is what it looks like,” Kimbrough said while pointing at Landon’s widow. “This is what it looks like when you get trigger happy.”

Kimbrough is representing the family of Landon Eastep who was fatally shot Thursday on I-65. “It makes no sense that wherever they go, there is some bodies laying behind them,” Kimbrough said.

Chelesy Eastep is the widow Landon leaves behind. “Landon was very loving,” Chelesy said. “He always had me laughing.”

Chelesy explained to the crowd what happened Thursday morning before the shooting. “He was agitated when he woke up,” Chelesy said. “He took out the door, took off walking, and left his phone at the house. I just let him go and cool down, calm down and get his bearings.”

Chelesy said Landon has mental health struggles and takes walks to ease his mind. His latest one brought him to I-65 Friday afternoon, where a THP trooper saw him sitting on the guardrail. Law enforcement said they wanted to help him, but Landon showed them he had a box cutter.

 Metro Police said officers then tried to de-escalate the situation for 30 minutes. Metro Police said Landon ultimately pulled out a shiny silver object from his pocket and is shot by nine different members of law enforcement. “Landon wasn’t a bad guy,” Chelesy said. “He was crying out for help. His cries went completely unanswered.”

Metro Police said there was no mental health professionals on scene Thursday. Metro Police said their pilot mental health program in which clinicians ride with certain officers is taking place in the North and Hermitage precincts. MNPD announced Friday that the program will be expanded downtown and to the Midtown Hills precinct which encompasses I-65 South.