Man’s fiancee rebuts account of killing

Associated Press

MEMPHIS, Tenn.

A Tennessee woman says her fiance was shot in the back by an officer as he was surrendering a rifle to her during a confrontation with police – and then again in the chest as he lay dying – contradicting the assertion by investigators that he was killed as the two struggled over the weapon.

Debra Nesbit described the March 23 encounter to The Associated Press, providing a detailed account of the events leading up to the shooting of Alexio Allen, 30.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation had a news conference the day after the shooting describing what investigators say happened when a Memphis police officer opened fire on Allen. But Nesbit’s account contradicts their version of events.

Investigators have not identified the officer, who was black, as was Allen. A report on the shooting is not being released because the investigation is ongoing, Memphis police spokesman Louis Brownlee said Wednesday.

TBI spokeswoman Susan Niland said during that news conference that Allen had been struggling with a woman over the rifle, but she did not say where on his body Allen was shot. An autopsy is being performed, and the investigation’s findings will be turned over to the district attorney once it is finished.