Clergymen question officer training, call for Savannah police chief to step down

Days after Savannah police shot and killed a man near Carver Village, clergymen called Savannah Police Chief Roy Minter to step down and called for a federal investigation into the number of police shootings in Savannah.

During a press conference Wednesday, the religious leaders called into question the training of officers in the field and residents took specific issue with what they alleged is excessive policing in their neighborhood, which they say likely led to the death of Saudi Arai Lee, a 31-year-old resident of the neighborhood.

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"I don't know if it's the training of a fear of a Black man, but seems like they shoot and ask questions later, and we cannot and will not tolerate this," Elder James Johnson said at the Historic Carver Village Community Center near Carroll Street during a press conference Wednesday afternoon. Johnson was joined by two other clergymen and residents of the Carver Village community where Lee lived.

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According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigations' initial press release, Lee showed officers his weapons permit and his holster with his weapon. At some point, which is not clear based upon available information, a chase ensued and an officer shot and killed Lee.

"This man had a legal concealed weapons permit and still was shot down. It should never be a death sentence (for) a Black man for carrying a weapon," Johnson said.

The Savannah Morning News requested the police report, but on Wednesday afternoon, an employee in the records department said the report was still in draft mode.

The officer, identified as Ernest Ferguson by a GBI Fact Sheet obtained by the Savannah Morning News, is on administrative leave and has been with the department since March 2021, Savannah police spokeswoman Bianca Johnson wrote in an email. According to a departmental Facebook post, Ferguson completed his officer patrol trailing eight months ago.

Fatal shooting

Just before noon Friday, Savannah police officers were patrolling an area near Gwinnett and Crosby Streets when they noticed Lee walking in the middle of the street, according to the GBI's preliminary report.

The officers approached Lee to speak with him, and that's when Lee immediately showed his wallet saying it contained his weapons permit, GBI spokeswoman Nelly Miles said in a news release.

"Lee lifted his shirt and pulled a weapon from a holster. A short chase ensued, and Lee was shot by an officer," Miles said.

The shooting occurred at the intersection of Gwinnett and Magazine streets, the Savannah Police Department confirmed in a tweet Friday.

A video shared on Facebook purportedly capturing the aftermath of the shooting and which has since been removed, showed onlookers rushing to Lee, as two officers stood near his body; they urged police to help the man whose was sprawled in the street.

About four minutes into the video, officers are seen giving the man CPR. Commenters in the video could be heard saying the victim had a gun but did not point it at any of the officers.

Miles said medical aid was rendered at the scene, and Lee was taken to Memorial University Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. The GBI Medical Examiner’s Office will perform an autopsy.

A handgun and holster were recovered from the scene by GBI agents. The GBI will conduct an independent investigation. Once complete, the case will be given to the Eastern Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for review.

Lee's killing was the fifth officer-involved death in Savannah and the sixth in Chatham County. Earlier this year, the county had a spate of police shootings, which remain open cases under investigation by GBI.

Police complaints

Neighbors at the press conference alleged they've had negative interactions with Savannah police and said they've filed complaints against officers who've repeatedly targeted them.

Felicia Walker recalled an incident when one of her "neighborhood sons" was involved in an altercation at a nearby store. When she went to the store to see what was going on, she said an officer pointed his mace in her face.

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Walker spoke briefly about Lee, calling him one of her "neighborhood sons" and said to know him was to love him. She, along with the clergymen and neighbors, called on the Chatham County District Attorney, Savannah Mayor Van Johnson and Minter to hold the officer accountable in Lee's shooting.

"I have sons and I have grandsons...it could have very well been myself because I'm a licensed carrier. Enough is enough," she said.

Raisa is a watchdog and investigative reporter for the Savannah Morning News. Contact her at rhabersham@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah religious leaders call for police chief Roy Minter's resignation