Family: Lenoir City officer should have never pulled trigger
 

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- With no criminal charges on the way, the family of the man shot and killed by a Lenoir City Police officer exclusively tells Local 8 News that they're taking matters into their own hands.

 

Body camera video shows Officer Tyrel Lorenz scrambling into the back of Josh Grubb's pickup truck and firing nine times through the back window, killing Grubbs. At the time, Grubb was suspected of driving under the influence.

“I don't think that he necessarily meant to kill Josh. I don't believe – I can't believe that anybody would be that heinous,” said Grubb's brother Daniel.

Daniel Grubb said even if his brother was drunk, there was no reason to pull out a gun.

That's why the family plans to file a civil suit against Officer Lorenz.

In body cam video, Officer Lorenz is heard calling for backup before Grubb starts his engine to flea the scene.

There are still many questions about how Lorenz ended up in the back of the pickup. The district attorney general said there's confusion about whether the officer jumped in or somehow fell into the cab of the truck.

“I think once he jumped into the back of the truck, he knew he made a decision and he acted like a coward and wanted to get out of it as soon as he could. And that was his easiest solution,” Grubb said.

A grand jury cleared Officer Lorenz of four possible criminal charges. They said he feared for his life.

"He had to stop the truck, he reacted in attempt to stop the truck, and once he was in the back of the truck, his life and other lives were in danger and that's why he fired the shots,” said District Attorney General Russell Johnson of the 9th Judicial District.

A toxicology report shows Josh Grubb had alcohol, meth, and prescription drugs in his system.

Daniel Grubb said he's surprised by that; his brother wasn't much of a drinker, adding while Grubb didn't have a perfect record, the shooting should have never happened.

“He took my brother. I'm more concerned with what he took from my mother. He was helping her at home,” Grubb said.

There's no details of the lawsuit yet. At the time this article was posted, the Grubb family had just seen the body cam video. They plan to hash out details in the coming weeks.