WOODBINE, Ga. — A Black man was fatally shot by a Georgia deputy at close range during a traffic stop after allegedly grabbing the officer’s neck and forcing his head backward, according to a video released by the sheriff’s office on Wednesday. The family of Leonard Cure, 53, believes that his previous wrongful imprisonment contributed to his resistance during the arrest.

Cure had spent 16 years in Florida prison for an armed robbery he was later found innocent of. The traumatic experience may have caused mental issues, according to his brother Michael Cure. The video shows the white deputy repeatedly asking Cure to get out of his vehicle. Cure initially refuses to comply with the request but eventually complies after the deputy threatens to use a stun gun.

After Cure exits the vehicle and questions why he was pulled over, the deputy fires his stun gun, causing Cure to spin around and flail his arms. The two men then engage in a physical struggle, with Cure gripping the deputy’s face and neck. The deputy strikes Cure with a baton, but Cure maintains his hold. A single gunshot then rings out, and Cure falls to the ground.

The deputy, whose name has not been released, has been placed on administrative leave while the Georgia Bureau of Investigation reviews the incident. Whether charges will be sought will be determined by the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney Keith Higgins after the conclusion of the investigation.

Unfortunately, Cure’s case is another example of the disproportionate risks faced by Black Americans when interacting with law enforcement. Studies have shown that Black Americans are more likely to be killed by police or wrongfully convicted compared to their white counterparts.

Cure’s family and their attorney, Ben Crump, believe that the shooting was unnecessary and that the deputy acted aggressively without attempting to de-escalate the situation. Cure’s wrongful conviction in 2004 resulted in a life sentence that was overturned in 2020 after evidence proved his innocence. Cure’s family said he lived in constant fear of being arrested again.

The Innocence Project of Florida, which helped secure Cure’s release, expressed disappointment in the system’s failure to protect him. They emphasized the fear experienced by their clients, who worry about encounters with law enforcement that could result in their wrongful imprisonment once more.

Leonard Cure’s tragic death highlights the urgent need for accountability and reforms in the criminal justice system to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.