Josh Moon

Montgomery (Ala.) Advertiser

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — A police officer who shot and killed an unarmed black man last week has been arrested on murder charges, Montgomery County authorities announced Wednesday afternoon.

Aaron “AC” Smith, an officer who Montgomery Police Department officials said has been on the force for less than four years, was being held by the State Bureau of Investigations under $150,000 bond after SBI and Montgomery County District Attorney Daryl Bailey concluded that enough evidence existed to charge Smith with the murder of Gregory Gunn, 58.

Gunn was shot in his next-door neighbor’s frontyard after a brief struggle with Smith on Thursday morning. Neighbors reported hearing Gunn screaming for help and calling out to his mother.

Authorities initially said Gunn was holding a stick or cane, but a neighbor tells The Associated Press the stick was actually an extension handle for a paint roller that belonged to him.

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“SBI and I agreed at the beginning of this investigation that this case would be treated as any other case,” Bailey said. “We agreed that if there were probable cause that a crime had been committed then an arrest would be made. After meeting extensively with SBI agents, we have concluded that probable cause exists to make an arrest in this case.”

He would not comment on what evidence led to the charge. It was not immediately clear whether Smith had a lawyer who could comment on his behalf.

SBI’s findings will be presented to a Montgomery County grand jury.

Bailey cautioned that the arrest should not be an indictment of MPD or lead anyone to presume that Smith is guilty of murder.

“In fact, 99.9% of the Montgomery police officers do an exceptional job on a daily basis protecting us and our community,” Bailey said. “They are, in fact, the thin blue line between order and chaos.”

Contributing: The Associated Press