NEW ORLEANS — Shot multiple times, Corey Garrison’s death is now sparking protests.
Calls for justice outside Hank’s Seafood and Supermarket on St. Claude Avenue in New Orleans Monday marked four days of protesting.
“Even though we’re doing all this, we will never get him back,” said Garrison’s sister Skylar Jenkins.
Garrison, 24, was shot and killed by a store employee Oct. 30, 2020. Police determined it to be a justifiable homicide.
“I heard the shots ring out. Twenty minutes later I got a phone call from my cousin who was crying and hysterical saying that Corey just got shot by Hanks,” said Garrison’s cousin Dartanion Cook.
Cook says he was across the street when the shooting happened and was shocked to find out his cousin had died at a business where he was a frequent customer.
”Corey was a God-fearing man who took care of his kids, his family and he looked out for everybody,” Cook said.
According to police, Garrison got into an argument with a store employee and was escorted out. Once outside he allegedly pulled a gun and was shot by another employee.
“He was shot where the ‘open’ sign is at, but then he stumbled to the second brick, or the parking spot,” said Jenkins as she pointed to the spot where it happened. “Shot six times and stumbled way over there.”
Jenkins says her brother did have a gun, but it was concealed. She doesn’t believe his death was justifiable. According to the autopsy report, Garrison was shot six times: Three in the back, two in the arm and one in the chest.
“If we knew he was in the wrong, we would not be here saying let’s get justice and doing all this protesting,” Jenkins said.
Protestors want the employee who fired the shots and the store to be held accountable, but the attorney who represented the business at the time, Sheila Myers, says police made the right decision.
“After their investigation they reached the conclusion that the homicide that occurred was justifiable and that’s the conclusion that I think is the appropriate conclusion,” Myers said.
Myers said police were even given surveillance video, which Jenkins says her family still hasn’t seen.
Feeling left in the dark throughout the investigation, Jenkins says she’ll keep protesting in her brother’s name.
“He’s here right now saying, ‘Just get justice,’” Jenkins said.
Eyewitness News reached out to NOPD to see if the case was still active and whether the department stands behind its initial determination. We’ve not heard back.
NOPD issued a news release less than 24 hours after the killing to say homicide unit detectives determined it was a justifiable homicide, following an altercation between Garrison and an employee.
The deadly shooting happened at 2:30 p.m. Oct. 30. The news release calling it justifiable was sent at 12:30 p.m. on the 31st.