EVANSVILLE, IN. (WEHT) – After surrounding a vehicle at a gas station in Evansville, police officers say they ordered Samuel Curry Jr. to follow their commands but he did not comply.

According to a news release from the Evansville Police Department, Curry leaned out the drivers side window and produced a gun. Two EPD officers then fired their duty weapons at Curry. Curry did not sustain any physical injuries.

His mother Jackie Hampton says their family thought Curry was dead after watching the body cam video online.

“I had no feelings I was numb I was crying,” Hampton stated. “I was looking for him, I picked the phones up I called the hospitals, I called the jails, I called from Kentucky to Evansville. I called the areas no one had him jail no one had him in hospitals and I just figured he was dead by how many times his car was shot up,” she added.

As a suicide survivor herself, Hampton says Curry has also dealt with suicidal thoughts as well and mental health issues since he was young but has struggled to find help.  

“It turned into prison time instead of helping him,” said Hampton. “When someone begs for help when somebody say they going to kill themselves you help them. You don’t shoot the car up and try to kill him.”

The EPD says officers told him to show his hands and get out of the car but Curry showed a gun.
that’s when officers opened fire.

Hampton says her son curry is currently on suicide watch in jail. She believes if he doesn’t get the mental health help that he needs he won’t be able to live his life to the fullest.