Fort Wayne Mayor Sharon Tucker said Monday that body camera footage of an officer-involved shooting will be released to the public after the victim’s family has had the opportunity to watch the video.
Linzell Parhm, 22, was identified Monday as the person who died in Saturday night’s shooting. He died of multiple gunshot wounds, and his death was ruled a “homicide – police action shooting,” Allen County Coroner Dr. E. Jon Brandenberger said.
Parhm was described by organizations like the Euell Wilson Center and Fort Wayne Urban League as a camp counselor who served as a mentor for local youth.
An officer initiated a traffic stop at John and Hurd streets at about 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Fort Wayne police said in a Sunday news release. During the stop, “actions from occupants inside the vehicle caused the officer to discharge their weapon,” the release said.
Parhm was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, and he later died there.
The police department usually doesn’t release officer-worn body camera video until investigations end, but Tucker said this shooting will be handled differently.
“This situation is unprecedented due in part to the viral video of the incident that has been circulating,” she said.
Tucker read a prepared statement at Monday’s news conference and said she and other officials would not answer questions “due to the case being an active investigation.”
“Each situation that we encounter in the future will be handled on a case-by-case basis and may not involve the immediate release of body camera footage,” she said.
Tucker has been a strong proponent of body cameras, she said. While representing the southeast district on City Council, she supported the department’s efforts to equip all patrol officers with the technology.
“My desire is to have body cameras serve as protection for public safety personnel and the public,” Tucker said. “Transparency and trust are key components of a healthy and desirable community.”
Aisha Arrington, president and CEO of Fort Wayne Urban League, said the organization is in full support of Tucker.
“Like so many citizens, I was deeply disturbed by what was depicted in the video, but understand that body cameras of this incident have not yet been released and that this one video does not provide all of the information necessary to draw any kind of conclusion,” she said in a statement.
Arrington asked authorities for a “thorough and transparent” investigation and asked the community to keep calm until it ends. The Urban League “will assist in any way possible to assure that answers to this shooting are secured,” she added.
Parhm, a 2020 graduate of South Side High School, for many years worked as a summer youth camp counselor, the organization said in the release. He was a licensed barber who wanted to eventually open his own business, the Euell Wilson Center said in a Facebook post.
Parhm also worked “tirelessly” to make sure all children at the center felt like they belonged, the center said.
“Linzell’s smile could change the mood of any room, and he smiled often, capturing the hearts of everyone,” the post said. “He had an amazing gift of connecting with anyone and always saw the good in people.”
Maria Norman, president of the Fort Wayne Community Schools board, reflected on Parhm’s death during Monday’s board meeting. She encouraged the community to address the situation with love, empathy and compassion.
Norman said her husband knew Parhm. The 22-year-old shared many characteristics with her school-age son, she said, so his death was particularly emotional for her.
“I know all of us know a young Black man,” Norman said, adding that such a person could be a neighbor, an employee, a family member or a student. “We all need to be together and a united front when it comes to situations like this.”
Norman said she is the mother of only one young Black man, but she feels responsibility for all children in the community.
“When you think that it may not affect you because it’s not your family member, as a community we are a family,” she said.
Parhm’s death is the 19th homicide in Allen County this year.
The officer, who was not identified as of Monday, was not injured. Based on the department’s policy, the officer will be placed on administrative leave.
Two people have been killed in officer-involved shootings in Allen County in the past year.
Robert Anthony Vicena, 37, died in April. He was shot by police while officers tried to arrest him at a New Haven home.
DaChe’na Warren-Hill, 20, was fatally shot in November by Fort Wayne Police Officer Mark Guzman near Winchester Road and Babco*ck Drive. The prosecutor’s office released a statement in February saying Guzman was justified and not criminally liable for the shooting.
Ashley Sloboda of The Journal Gazette contributed to this story.
