The family of Jawan Dallas, a 38-year-old man who died after being shot twice with a Taser stun gun by Mobile police on Sunday, is demanding the city release bodycam footage of the incident.

“For him to be tased to death,” Christine Dallas, mother of Jawan, said in a press conference Thursday. “It’s not right. It’s unimaginable. It hurts. And I want something done about it.”

Christine and her attorney, Harry Daniels, sent a formal request for the bodycam footage to the City of Mobile “pursuant to HB289″ Thursday. The new state law provides procedures for family members to request to see bodycam or dashboard cameras but does not say that police must make the footage available.

Mobile NAACP President Robert Clopton said that, while he understands the law, he hopes the Mobile Police Department will release the footage.

“Why not show the video?” Clopton said. “We want to make sure that the Constitution is followed all the time, where there’s no unlawful arrest or brutality by law enforcement. Everyone has the constitutional right to live.”

Police said in a release officers were responding to a call of a residential burglary at a local mobile home park at around 9:45 p.m. Sunday when they encountered two men. While attempting to identify one of the men, later identified as Jawan Dallas, Dallas attempted to flee, police said.

A struggle between Dallas and an officer ensued, and the officer used his Taser to try and subdue Dallas, but “it did not have any effect,” according to the release, and Dallas then attempted to grab the stun gun from the officer.

After a brief struggle, police said, the officer fired the stun gun a second time. Dallas went down and medical personnel were called to the scene, with Dallas experiencing what police described as a “medical emergency.” He died later at the hospital.

“You guys supposed to be here to serve and protect, not destroy,” Dallas’s father Phil Williams said at the press conference. “We need help. We gonna get justice for Jawan ‘Jay’ Dallas.”

The state Supreme Court in 2021 found police are not required to release investigative records, including bodycam and dashcam footage. According to the 2023 law, family or representatives, including an attorney, can request to see the footage. Police must respond to the request. If they choose to deny the request, police do not have to give a reason. And the law says the family members “shall not copy or record the recording.”

According to Dallas’s attorney, Daniels, an eyewitness said Dallas was about 100 yards away from the scene of the alleged burglary call. That witness saw police stun Dallas shortly after he left his vehicle unarmed and later saw him fall backward and call for help as he grasped at his chest, complaining of pain before officers stunned him once more, said Daniels. At that point, the eyewitness says, Dallas stopped moving.

“Jay was a great guy,” Christine Dallas said. “He was awesome. He helped and loved everybody, all his sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews, cousins, homeless people, people in the neighborhood. Jay would give his last dime to help any and everybody. I just want justice for my son, because my son shouldn’t have left here this way. “

Mobile police said Monday they were awaiting several reports to assist in determining Dallas’ cause of death. They declined to comment on Daniels’ allegations Wednesday, citing the open investigation.