Another torture post, another country. I've considered doing a longer post on Egypt for weeks, but I will stop at the very beginning. These videos may not seem violent to some users (sorry, 'but mother was hitting me harder' is not a good argument). They were very useful from 2006 onwards, though, as YouTube and blogs were back then still a relatively new tools for the activists. There was a dedicated website, tortureinegypt.net, which - judging from archive.org versions - operated between January 2006 and March 2011. The latter date is the last time the news appeared there, the site itself was still up for a while. [Possibly post will be updated]

This post is divided into two parts. Videos 1-4 are short and not so graphic. Video 5 is a case of sexual assault by the cops, which was a VERY loud case and caused the most outrage of all these 2006-2007 videos. Two police officers, who sodomized an innocent 21 yo man with a broomstick, were sentenced for 3 years in prison.

First, a woman being a suspect in a murder case (length: 0;32). Description and some translations under the video. It was first published at last on 3rd of January 2007 by the Egyptian bloggers, and then re-uploaded after YT removed it. This video didn't get as much attention as the two following ones. It was mentioned in The Guardian on 12th of January 2007, though, in an article about Egyptian bloggers exposing police brutality with the help of YouTube.

This detained girl is brutally tortured by Egyptian police to force her confess a murder crime.

Out of the excruciating pain, the girl said "..aah..I killed him..I killed him..I killed him". The police officer was very calm undisturbed by seeing the girl suffering. In fact he seemed enjoying video taping her suffering. He said " You're a liar. You know these cell-phones are very important in ..psupsu). Psupsu is not a word. He used it to refer to torture.

The girl was begging him in tears that she feels her hands as if being cut off her arms due to the severe excruciating pain and called upon him as "Ya Basha" to untie her hands. Calling him "Basha" revealed that the torturer was a police officer. The word "Basha" is widely used to address police officers and other important figures in Egypt. It is not an official title. It goes back in history to the Ottomani era, when the "Khedewi" (the Ottomani ruler of Egypt) used to envoke this official title on high-rank figures the same way The British Queen would envoke the title "Sir" or "Knight" on distinguished figures.

⠀

Slapping video, from 2006.

The officer who appeared in the “slapping video” has been identified by the independent weekly Al-Stragr.

His name is Lieutenant Mustafa Shehata, of El-Haram Police Station in Giza. Though an Interior Minister official told Wael Abdel Fattah of Al-Stragr, the officer was under “administrative detention,” it turned out the officer was still working at the station, but was under “administrative investigation.”

News from 14th of January 2007:

Police Lieutenant Mustafa Shehata who appeared in the notorious “slaps” video will be referred to an “administrative punitive board within the Giza Security Directorate,” reported Al-Masry Al-Youm. This means basically Shehata will sit in front of a bunch of fellow police officers to be judged for showering detainee Ahmad Gad with slaps (and who knows what else happened without being recorded).

The charges leveled against Shehata include employing “brute force” against a citizen in custody. Egyptian law does not recognize “torture” except if the abuse fiesta's purpose was “extracting information.” The same goes for Police Captain Islam Nabih and Corporal Reda Fathi, who sexually abused driver Emad Kabeer in Bulaq al-Dakrour Police Station. They will face charges of “employing brute force” against a citizen, and not “torture.” Why? Because they inserted a stick up Emad's ass for the sake of fun, and not for “extracting information.”

⠀

Uploaded to YouTube on 3rd of March 2007.

Meanwhile, a new video of Egyptian police brutality has surfaced online. In the video, a police corporal (referred to in the video as “Abdel Rassoul”) could be seen hitting a detainee on the back of the neck and slapping him on the face. The person who's filming could be heard saying: “That's weak Abdel Rassoul…” encouraging the corporal to hit the detainee stronger.

⠀

I have no more info on this one (lost the link). Just a very short clip of a man being hit at the neck.

There is another video, but as YT deleted it (and I didn't find it anywhere else, for now). I only have description:

A new police brutality video has been leaked out of Port Said Police Station. The officer, videotaping the abuse, is tormenting the detainee by refusing to let him use the bathroom, and ordering him to urinate on himself.

And one another removed from YT:

[...] a plainclothes police agent arresting and beating up a suspect before shoving him into a van

⠀ - THE INCIDENT AND JOURNALIST INVESTIGATION

The best goes to the end. This video, including an assault with a stick, was probably the most controversial and talked about around the time of its release. It also applies to legal aftermath coverage. It could be a separate post, but I didn't want it to be removed for SA (here it's not posted on its own, so safer). It was first posted at last on 10th of November 2006, the incident took place on 13th of January 2006.

About the background:

`Imad al-Kabir [alternative spelling: Emad Kabeer], a microbus driver from the Giza neighborhood of Bulaq al-Dakrur, told Human Rights Watch that two plainclothes officers detained him on January 18, 2006 after he intervened in an altercation between the officers and his cousin. Al-Kabir said that the officers first beat him on the street, then held him in the Bulaq police station, where officers – including at least two whom al-Kabir identified from the neighborhood – bound his arms and legs and severely whipped him. The officers then undressed him, raised his legs, and raped him with a stick while one videotaped the episode with a mobile phone. Police released al-Kabir after 36 hours without filing any charges against him.

In the video, the man is screaming 'Never mind Pasha, I'm sorry Pasha' - addressing someone important, which confirms that his abuser was a cop. Certain words in the dialogue led the activists to the conclusion that the guy might be a minibus driver (later confirmed). Even though the video was consistent with the previous torture reports and videos, the sexual assault on another man was especially shocking in the conservative Muslim country.

The breakthrough came in early August 2007. The journalist from Al-Stragr received a tip that the video could have been recorded at Omraniya Police Station, and knowing that the victim may be a bus driver, he started investigating.

Al-Stragr journalist Kamal Murad picked the lead, combed for three days the microbuses station in Omraniya, with no success. Last Wednesday, however, Kamal received an anonymous call on his mobile phone, informing him that the driver worked at Nahia bus station, which follows Bulaq al-Dakrour Police Station.

Kamal went to the bus station, only to discover fear among drivers. The police agents, he said, distributed the video among drivers as a way of humiliating the driver who appeared in the film, and terrorize the rest of the drivers into submission to police rule.

Kamal discovered the victim's name was Emad Muhammad Ali Kabeer, holder of a preparatory school degree (E'adadiya), and the second among nine brothers and sisters.

Emad's source of income is a microbus, and lives with his family in one of Kerdassa's village. His father, according to Wael, passed away after he learned what happened to his son.

An article in al-Stragr:

Reaching out to 21 yo Imad wasn't easy due to the emotional trauma he went through. Eventually, the more detailed information about his detention was released. Some autotranslated parts sound weird, but overall, it's good enough. Imad was first beaten until he fell down. Then 7 police officers started to kick him. It was at Nahia Police Station. After this torture appetizer, Imad was transported to Bulaq el-Dakrour Police Station, where he was kept for 7 days and raped on the 8th one. His feet were chained, and his hands were handcuffed. Here comes the part that's messed up in the autotranslation, but eventually, Imad ended up with clothes torn from the waist down. He received a whipping, nearly fainted and became much weaker. Then, cops brought him down 'in a humiliating manner', and asked him to say: 'I am a woman. I am a cute twink'. His anus was covered in some cream-like substance before inserting the broomstick.

This rape stage lasted around one hour, and Imad was assured by the officers that it's all being recorded. The video was shared among the bus drivers via mobile before ending up online months later.

⠀ - LEGAL AFTERMATH

At first, Egyptian police lawyers claimed that the videos were fake and that during the mentioned time, the police officers weren't even on duty there. They referred to a case of Howayda Taha, a reporter for Al-Jazeera, who was arrested with videotapes of re-enactments of torture scenes for a documentary she was working on. After Imad's story was published in al-Stragr on 11th of December 2006, he received several calls with threats against him and his family. The next day, '*semi-official' newspaper al-Ahram reported that Imad had disavowed the account published in al-Fajr and wanted to sue the newspaper. The following day, Imad - encouraged by a human rights lawyer - explained to a public prosecutor that the threats made him retract his story, but he wants to press charges and needs protection. The prosecutor promptly opened an investigation.

The identities of two of the torturers were known in December. The first was Bulaq al-Dakrour Police Station Captain Islam Nabih. Before many photos from the trials were released, only one 'exclusive' photo of Islam was available - taken when he was leaving the Prosecutor's office.

Islam was described as the 'torture supervisor'. The second guy identified was the cameraman, Police Corporal Reda Fathi el-Sayyed.

On 5th of November 2007, both of these men were sentenced to 3 years in prison. One of the arguments was that Nabih doesn't deserve a longer sentence, because he's still young (27 yo). Here's a comment from a blogger whose posts I used as a vast majority of sources:

The two sadist pigs from Bulaq el-Dakrour Police Station, Captain Islam Nabih and Corporal Reda Fathi, were sentenced yesterday to three years in prison for sodomizing driver Emad Kabeer and filming the abuse to further the humiliation.

There is a sense of joy in the blogosphere which broke the scandal as well as the independent press that carried on with the investigation.

Photos from the court (not from the day of sentencing, though):

However, it didn't mean that there was a happy end:

Putting away an officer or two behind bars means nothing, and don't get fooled by those who tell you that other officers will take that as a warning not to torture. The only “warning” those officers will receive is to actually be more careful next time and refrain from filming the abuse. Even little kids in Egypt, who also fell on occasions victims to to Mubarak's police monstrosity, understand well what it means to be “mabaheth” (investigations police).

Does that mean we stay at home and wait for change of regime to happen to see torture abolished? Hell No! We have to continue our anti-torture campaign in even more aggressive way… and the tactics are the same: “Naming and Shaming”. If we see abuse, we'll photograph it. If we see a torturer, we'll scandalize him among the public and the world.. We will continue to gather and document evidence about torturers, and collect the testimonies from victims and witnesses.

⠀SOURCES

https://arabawy.org/304/victim-of-police-rape-video-identified

https://arabawy.org/244/torture-videos-to-be-investigated

https://arabawy.org/195/new-police-brutality-video

https://arabawy.org/430/egyptian-police-torture-woman-detainee-video

https://arabawy.org/410/the-torturer (photo)

https://arabawy.org/2947/boulaq-police-sadists-sentenced-to-3-years-in-prison

https://arabawy.org/667/el-adly-videogate-imbaba-officer-aquitted-corporal-sentenced-to-one-year-boulaq-torturers-trial-adjourned

https://arabawy.org/468/el-adly-video-gate-mustafa-slaps-shehata-to-face

https://web.archive.org/web/20151205134336/http://hub.witness.org/en/node/2362 (woman)

https://www.theguardian.com/news/blog/2007/jan/12/youtubeexposes1

https://web.archive.org/web/20110922023700/http://hub.witness.org/en/node/11889

https://www.hrw.org/news/2006/12/22/egypt-hold-police-accountable-torture (quote)

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-egypt-torture-tape/egypt-internet-video-sharpens-torture-debate-idUSL0210442120061211

https://web.archive.org/web/20070810064842/http://www.tortureinegypt.net/revealing_identity_victim_sex-abused detailed description of the last case (in Arabic)

Overview:

The law-breaking police officers featured in this shocking collection of clips don't think twice about unnecessary roughness. Capturing beatings, assaults, wrongful shootings and more.

Leaders in the law enforcement community and those who train officers praised the work of the Allen, Texas officer who tracked down and eliminated a mass shooter in May 2023.

The Allen Police Department released new police body camera video from the Allen Premium Outlets on May 6th, 2023.

Eight people were killed, including three children, and at least seven others were injured at the open-air mall before an officer, who was in the area on another call, responded.

A Collin County grand jury returned a "no bill" for the use of force by the officer after reviewing the facts of the case.

The "no bill" indicated the use of force was justified under Texas law and no charges will be filed against them.

R.I.P. to the victims who lost their lives, and may their family and friends find peace.

This all started with an attempted traffic stop when a trooper spotted a car going 111 mph on Interstate 20 early Monday morning. After the car was stopped, it sped off and a chase began with the state trooper. After a PIT maneuver, the driver regained control of the car and the passenger leaned out of the window and began firing shots at the trooper using an AK47. His patrol car became disabled. One of the first shots fired from Shelton disabled Troutt's vehicle, the sheriff's office said, as he continued to advance, firing inside the vehicle striking Deputy Repetto in the arm. When the suspects crashed, they ran before opening fire at Officer Gordy. He returned fire, but was struck twice by gunfire. He was taken to Grady Hospital in Atlanta and has been released.

shout out to all the reposting tiktok cute twinks on the site like @pp66 @pp666 @pp6666 @mikelitoriss @JackMeofff @ivan69 @Qel @d you guys make retards feel smart

Full video:

News Article:

https://westsidetoday.com/2022/07/15/man-fatally-shot-by-police-in-west-los-angeles/

https://www.lapdonline.org/newsroom/officer-involved-shooting-in-west-los-angeles-division-nrf034-22ma/

On July 7, 2022, around 5:00 p.m., West Los Angeles officers responded to a call reporting a man armed with a knife in the area of Pico Boulevard and Sawtelle Boulevard. The first police unit at the scene was a uniformed sergeant. The sergeant was directed to the man by a community member. The sergeant exited his police vehicle and began giving directions to the man, later identified as 36-year-old Felipe Guerrero. Guerrero, armed with a knife, continued to walk in the direction of the sergeant. As the sergeant continued to give commands to Guerrero, Guerrero, still armed with the knife, ran toward the sergeant resulting in an OIS. Guerrero was struck by the sergeant's gunfire and fell to the ground. Guerrero was taken to a local hospital and later pronounced deceased.

The knife Guerrero was armed with was recovered at the scene.

The sergeant was transported to a local hospital for an injury he received from falling during the incident.

Timestamps:

0;00 to 1;00 - a few mixed torture clips, no commentary for now.

Clips with narration (translation or other comments):

1;19 to 2;12,

3;10 to 3;57 (also a few scenes on-screen later, when some lady from Human Rights Watch is being disgusted),

6;02 to 6;13 (now a guy from House Human Rights Commission is being disgusted)

6;44 to 7;12

The rest is news coverage. Tl;dr follow-up. It wasn't the only case of torture, and in May 2009, it was reported that at least 2 hours of torture tapes were obtained, involving more than 25 victims. Reportedly, both some of the policemen and Sheikh himself were 'detained', as reported in April 2009. The Afghani man spent a few months in hospital, surprisingly surviving, but with the internal injuries. However, in January 2010, Sheikh Issa was acquitted of charges (rape, endangering a life and causing bodily harm). Three persons got a sentence between 1 and 3 years. Apart from media and human rights activists being shocked and disgusted, nothing else happened.

WHAT DID HAPPEN AND HOW?

The video was leaked in April 2009 by Bassam Nabulsi (Houston, Texas), a former business associate of Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al-Nahyan. And I need to explain how much important this guy is. He is a half-brother of the country's crown prince, Sheikh Mohammed (technically - a current president), half-brother of another former president (Sheikh Khalifa, 2004 till his death in 2022) and a son of yet another one (Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan - died in 2004). Also, his another half-brother is/was the owner of Manchester City (Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan); and this isn't the end of that VIPs list. However, Sheikh Issa doesn't hold any official or political position within the UAE government and works as a real estate developer.

Nabulsi released a 45-minutes long footage showing the torture, which was a part of nearly 3 hours long videotape. It was shot in late 2004 in the desert outside Abu Dhabi. The torture took place at the Sheikh's ranch, and was recorded by Nabulsi's brother, as the Sheikh wanted to watch it later. However, the video was already known. The website originally hosting its parts and stills has versions in http://archive.org from at least October 2008. And:

Samer Muscati, of the nonpartisan group Human Rights Watch, testified that Sheik Issa's actions "were a clear violation of the UAE constitution" and international law. "The UAE government has known [about the torture tapes] for years, and sat on its hands", Muscati said. Muscati called on UAE to probe not just Sheik Issa's actions, but to investigate how officials could have initially declined to take action against the Sheikh or officials on the videos.

The victim is Afghan businessman Mohammed Shah Poor. He survived, but spent a few months in hospital with internal injuries. The grain dealer was accused of cheating. Nabulsi stated initially that Shah Poor didn't owe Sheikh more than $5,000. Two weeks after the video with clips was first aired (in ABC News Nightline), Sheikh was detained.

In a statement to ABC News, which aired the video on April 22, the UAE interior ministry — led by Saif bin Zayed al Nahyan, also one of Sheikh Issa's brothers — said it had reviewed the tape and found "all rules and procedures were correctly followed by the police".

On April 30, Abu Dhabi's government, worried about its tarnished image abroad and about the video endangering deals on civil nuclear energy with the United States and France, condemned the sheikh's sadistic act.

Here a photo:

According to http://uaetorture.com, this photo was taken at the Four Seasons hotel in Houston, Texas, where the sheikh spent two months per year before 2005.

About the site that originally posted the short clips and some photos (UAEtorture):

At least three complete, unedited video tapes demonstrating Abu Dhabi police involvement in Shiekh Issa's extreme torture were secreted out of the U.A.E. Check back periodically as all videos will ultimately be released on this website.

The torture was ostensibly conducted because Issa was short changed on a fertilizer deal. Hundreds of more pictures and more video will be released soon on this site.

For now, I don't know which tapes did they mean back then (was it 45 mins in three parts? were there other incidents? what did the rest from the 3 hours long videotape showing?). Now it's known there were other incidents, look in the section below, though. IMO it was already implied by using the phrase 'one of his sessions'. The current version of the website (UAEprison) doesn't contain the video, and the link for download leads to the old site. The video file isn't archived, only the page it was linked at. The 'hundreds of photos' weren't posted, just as the full video or at least the longer version. The site went down in the 2nd half of 2011. However, this video seems like containing the original short clips in .wmv (I didn't edit it, just downloaded):

It lasts above 3 mins, of which the first 2 mins are clips showing the torture, with text on screen (no other commentary).

Stillshots from the same website:

The top 2 pictures shows what appears to be members of the Abu Dhabi police assisting Sheikh Issa in one of his sessions.

Sheikh Issa with his victim on the ground as Issa prepares for torture.

Issa directing the camera's movements as a policeman holds the victim.

Issa preparing to stuff sand into the victim's mouth with help from the policeman.

Sheikh Issa demanded that the torture be videotaped so he could watch it later for his own enjoyment.

Issa running over the victim with Issa's Mercedes SUV.

Issa shooting an m-16 at the feet of his torture victim.

LEGAL AFTERMATH

According to Nabulsi, Sheikh started to display 'increasingly bizarre behavior' after his father died in November 2004:

Nabulsi's lawsuit says that Sheikh Issa's father "kept tight control over Sheikh Issa" but after the father's death, he "apparently no longer felt constrained."

To Nabulsi, he was both a business associate and friend. you can read more here. What's most important:

Nabulsi claims he confronted his business partner about the Afghan's treatment, telling him that to do such a thing he "must not be a God-fearing person."

Nabulsi says his boldness prompted the sheikh to turn on him.

Later, Nabulsi was arrested on drug charges. Security officers working for the sheikh ransacked his home and demanded the torture video, Nabulsi claimed.

By this point, the tape -- shot by Nabulsi's brother at the order of the sheikh -- had been smuggled out of the country. According to an affidavit, Nabulsi's brother worked for Sheikh Issa as a personal assistant.

In 2005, Nabulsi was arrested, jailed and ultimately convicted on drug charges. And, he said, he was tortured and humiliated by UAE police, who demanded he return the tape.

The last news are from January 2010. Brothers Ghassan and Bassam Nabulsi were both 'sentenced in their absence to five years in prison for drugging Sheikh Hassan and fined 10,000 dirham' ($2,723 or £1,700). The drugging scenario assumed that they did drug the Sheikh up, so he wasn't responsible for his actions, then recorded it, published and blackmailed the Sheikh. Three other persons involved in the torture were sentenced for between 1 and 3 years.

I've mentioned the other incidents. And here is what The Guardian reported in May 2009:

"I have more than two hours of video footage showing Sheikh Issa's involvement in the torture of more than 25 people," wrote Texas-based lawyer Anthony Buzbee in a letter obtained by the Observer.

One exemplary video was linked, but it was YT video, now deleted. It wasn't mentioned whether it was a new one or still that grain dealer one.

But now it appears the initial tape could just be the beginning of the problem. The new tapes apparently also involve police officers taking part in Issa's attacks, and some of his victims in the as-yet-unseen videos are believed to be Sudanese immigrants.

Buzbee said he would be happy to provide the new videos to the Abu Dhabi authorities, who have pledged to investigate Issa's activities. "I also have access to at least three witnesses, all of whom will testify that the brutality exhibited in the videos by Sheikh Issa is part of a pattern of conduct that has gone on for some time ... I can also provide additional witnesses who were actually present during several of Sheikh Issa's torture sessions," Buzbee said in the letter.

SOURCES

https://observers.france24.com/en/20090505-uae-abu-dhabi-sheikh-issa-torture-video-nablusi

https://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=7402099

https://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=7538363

http://www.uaeprison.com:80/sheikh_nahyan_uae_shocking_torture_video.htm

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/04/30/uae.torture/

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/apr/26/torture-tape

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/may/03/uae-sheikh-accusation-assualt-tape

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/jan/17/torture-tape-acquittal-abu-dhabi

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8450722.stm

full vid

Original video:

Tukwila, Washington, United States

Seattle police released new bodycam video Friday evening that shows the moments leading up to officers fatally shooting a suspected child predator at a Tukwila hotel earlier this week.

Seattle Police Department (SPD) Chief Adrian Diaz said the 67-year-old child predator suspect arrived at the DoubleTree Suites hotel around 3:13 p.m. on Wednesday under the impression that he was meeting two young girls, ages 7 and 11.

However, unbeknownst to the suspect, multiple SPD officers with the Washington State Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce were undercover and waiting to arrest the man.

The newly released video shows the officers opening the door for the man, who immediately flashed a gun. A scuffle then occurred before police ultimately fatally shot the man. The man was later pronounced dead at the scene, according to police.

Officials at the scene said a Seattle officer was grazed by a bullet on their leg during the shootout with the man.

https://komonews.com/news/local/child-predator-suspect-67-year-old-man-seattle-police-department-spd-tukwila-doubletree-suites-hotel-washington-state-internet-crimes-against-children-taskforce-7-11-spd-adrian-diaz-scuffle-data-shootout-gun-violence-bodycam-footage-sexual-exploitation

Full video:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/08/04/mclean-police-shooting-video/

Video from a Fairfax County police officer's body camera, made public Thursday, shows an officer fatally shooting a man suffering a mental health crisis in his McLean home July 7 as the man charged at three officers, wielding a wine bottle like a club. The man's parents reacted to the video by saying the killing “cannot be justified,” and noting their son was “5′ 6, slightly built, and holding just a bottle and a decorative mask.”

“We recognize that, at times, police officers face grave and unknown dangers in the line of duty, but that was not the case for that call at our home regarding our son,” the couple said.

Police Chief Kevin Davis said the shooting is still being investigated.

“Our officers were confronted with a very chaotic and dangerous situation,” Davis said in releasing the footage at a news conference. “I want to be careful not to offer any assessments or any opinions,” given the ongoing investigation. “But I think it's clear to see from the video that that was a very active and chaotic incident.”

The deadly encounter began unfolding shortly after 8:30 p.m., when officers arrived in the 6900 block of Arbor Lane. There, in his parents' spacious house, Jasper Aaron Lynch, 26, was behaving erratically in the throes of a mental health crisis, his sister told the officers after meeting them in front of the residence. Lynch's parents were not home and no one else was in the house.

After discussing Lynch's condition for several minutes with the sister, the three officers opened the front doors and stepped into a large foyer area, the video shows. One or more of them called out “Aaron,” as Lynch was commonly known. Lynch suddenly appeared at the opposite end of the foyer, holding a large decorative tribal mask made of wood in one hand and a wine bottle in the other.

In a span of about 20 seconds, officers can be heard urging him at least eight times to “put it down.”

“Aaron, are you all right?” one said.

“Bud, it's okay, you're not in trouble,” said another.

The video shows Lynch yelling as he hurled the wooden mask at one of the officers. Then he charged toward the doorway where the officers were standing, raising the wine bottle by its neck with two hands in what Davis called “an aggressive act.” Two of the officers fired Tasers at him but Lynch kept coming, according to the video.

“I think it's safe to say they were several feet away,” Davis said of the officers. “And both Taser prongs have to hit in order for it to take effect. Again, our investigation will reveal if, in fact, those Tasers hit, if they took effect, and if they didn't, why not.”

As Lynch, wielding the bottle, reached the front entrance, Officer Edward George, a 10-year member of the force, shot him four times. The video shows Lynch collapsing on the threshold and crawling a few feet before being subdued. Asked if it is possible that George mistook his gun for his Taser, the chief said, “There's no preliminary investigative information that I'm aware of that suggests that that's the case.”

Davis said George is on “administrative” working status, with no public contact, pending the outcome of two parallel inquiries, one to determine if the shooting was a crime, the other to ascertain if any department rules were violated. Efforts to reach George were not immediately successful.

“We believe that the three police officers … could have, and should have, handled this far differently,” Lynch's parents, Patrick and Kathy Lynch, said in a statement after the news conference. Describing their son as “scared” by his loss of mental control, they said, “To respond to Aaron's mental health crisis by shooting him at all, let alone multiple times, cannot be justified.”

The couple added, “As parents, we mourn the heartbreaking loss of our son and are left with only memories and regret.”

Davis said he sympathizes with the family and declined to comment on the parents' statement.

Davis said the tragic outcome was rare, given the volume of calls that Fairfax police receive about people in emotional or psychiatric distress. Of the 6,700 such calls that officers have responded to so far this year — an average of about 33 per day — they have used force, lethal and nonlethal, “less than one percent of the time,” the chief said.

The department has embraced “a co-responder philosophy” in which a mental health clinician, when available, accompanies police officers on calls such as the one involving Lynch. Earlier that evening, between 7 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., officers and a clinician went to the Lynch home for an initial report of a mental health crisis. But when they arrived, Lynch had left the house, and officers couldn't find him, police said.

When officers were called again, shortly after 8:30, the clinician — the only one working with police so far — was unavailable.

“This clinician had moved on to another location at the conclusion of his tour of duty to complete some administrative paperwork,” Davis said. He noted that the three officers who responded to the second call had all received advanced crisis-intervention training.

Davis said the department will soon begin phase two of the co-responder program, with two clinicians on the payroll instead of one. Months from now, in the fourth and final phase, the department plans to have 16 clinicians working with officers in the field, the chief said.

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/family-criticizes-fairfax-co-police-for-fatally-shooting-man-suffering-from-mental-health-crisis

Shortly after the police bodycam video was released by Fairfax County police, Jasper Lynch's parents — Pat and Kathy Lynch — released a statement:

"Our son, Aaron, was experiencing a severe mental health crisis on July 7. He was scared and asked for both of the 911 calls that were made that day. We believe that the three police officers who answered the second 911 call could have, and should have, handled this far differently," the statement reads. "To respond to Aaron's mental health crisis by shooting him at all, let alone multiple times, cannot be justified. We recognize that, at times, police officers face grave and unknown dangers in the line of duty, but that was not the case for that call at our home regarding our son. Aaron was about 5' 6", slightly built, and holding just a bottle and a decorative mask.

"As parents, we mourn the heartbreaking loss of our son and are left with only memories and regret. Had we known there was any possibility that the police responding to the second 911 call would use lethal force against Aaron during a mental health crisis, we would not have involved them until a mental health counselor could be present, as was the case for the response to the first 911 call. We hope our efforts to find out more about this incident will, in the future, help families in similar situations avoid such a tragic outcome."

Follow-up:

https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/virginia/no-charges-filed-officer-shoots-kills-man-responding-mental-health-crisis-fairfax-county/65-293fa8c3-040d-468d-939c-35f7765fff90

MCLEAN, Va. — Three Fairfax County Police officers will not face charges, in connection to the shooting death of Jasper Aaron Lynch in 2022.

An officer shot and killed 26-year-old Lynch inside his home in Mclean on July 7, 2022, after they'd responded to calls that he was having a mental health episode.

The FCPD officers were identified as Officers George, Kirsch and Pak.

"My review of this incident leads me to conclude that none of the three officers all of whom used some level of force, violated any criminal laws. I therefore decline to bring criminal charges against Officers Pak, Kirsch or George," wrote Fairfax County Commonwealth Attorney Steve Descano in a release that was posted on Facebook around 5 p.m. on Friday.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=821825403295771

Jasper Aaron Lynch:

Apparently he is trans:

https://www.advocate.com/transgender/2022/8/25/trans-man-virginia-killed-police-during-mental-health-crisis

https://www.them.us/story/jasper-aaron-lynch-west-virginia-police-shooting

https://www.hrc.org/news/hrc-honors-aaron-lynch-26-year-old-transgender-man-killed-in-virginia

Obituary:

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/legacyremembers/jasper-lynch-obituary?id=36302045#obituary

Video source:

Witness video:

https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/protesters-call-for-updates-on-philly-police-shooting-that-left-man-dead/3821770/

26 January 2024

A protest was held outside the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office more than two months after a man was shot and killed by police inside a corner store.

The rally, organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation as well as friends and family of 28-year-old Alexander Spencer, took place around 11:30 a.m. on Thursday outside District Attorney Larry Krasner's office in Center City.

On Jan. 26, 2024, Spencer – known by his loved ones as “Spence” – was shot and killed during a caught-on-camera altercation with police officers inside a store along the 2800 block of North Mascher Street. Protesters on Thursday demanded an update on the investigation.

“The community has been told that we have to wait 90 days for any progress on this case,” said Xiomara Torres, an organizer with the Party for Socialism and Liberation. “No matter the results of this 90-day investigation, we know that Spence's death, like so many others, was completely avoidable. If officers had not been conducting stop-and-frisks and harassing patrons of that corner store, Spence would be alive today.”

NBC10 reached out to the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office for comment on the protest.

"We support their right to voice their concerns," a spokesperson wrote. "The investigation into the fatal shooting of Alexander Spencer is ongoing. We have no further comment at this time."

The shooting occurred on Jan. 26 around 8:45 p.m. at a grocery store along the 2800 block of North Mascher Street.

Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore said two 24th District officers were on a routine patrol inside an unmarked Ford Taurus. The officers parked outside the store and one of the officers walked inside for a security check, according to Vanore.

"He was armed with the information that there was an individual from that area wanted for a non-fatal shooting warrant," Vanore said. "That shooting had happened a few weeks prior to this night. He knew who that individual was and he knew he hung in the area of that store. So he was out looking for that individual to see if he could contact him."

Surveillance video released by police shows Spencer, an unidentified man in a black hooded sweatshirt, and a third man in a red hooded sweatshirt -- later identified by investigators as 42-year-old Jose Quinones-Mendez -- hanging out in the back of the store.

A fourth man in a light-colored sweatshirt enters the store and says in Spanish, "They're coming," just before the first officer enters the store.

Vanore said that fourth man's words "immediately heightened the officer's suspicion that something was going on in that store."

Video shows the officer then speaking with the man in the light-colored sweatshirt though it's unclear from the video what's being said. The officer then approaches and speaks with Spencer, Quinones-Mendez, and the man in the black sweatshirt. The officer's partner then walks into the store.

Another angle from the surveillance video shows the officers speaking with Spencer though it is once again unclear what is being said. Vanore said one of the officers spotted what he believed to be a gun in Spencer's pocket. The video shows the officers searching Spencer. A struggle between the three men then ensues and the officers wrestle Spencer to the floor.

Spencer is heard shouting, "I can't breathe" as the struggle continues.

A gunshot is then heard. Police said it was at that moment when one of the officers was shot in the leg causing his blood to flow on the floor.

“We now know that he had a double perforating wound," Vanore said. “So he was down in a crouch during the struggle, his leg was bent, and the bullet goes in his thigh, out his thigh, in the back of his calf and out the front of his leg. So, one bullet went through four times.”

Police said the video appeared to show that both officers had their weapons holstered when the first shot was fired.

Police said the wounded officer then pulled out his gun and tried to shoot Spencer but was unable to do so. His partner -- later identified as 33-year-old Raheem Hall -- then pulled out his gun and opened fire, shooting and killing Spencer.

The video shows the wounded officer yelling "I'm shot! I'm shot!" Officer Hall, meanwhile, yells in his radio, "Shots fired!"

Vanore said the wounded officer never fired a shot and Officer Hall only fired one shot, which struck and killed Spencer.

Another angle from the video shows a gun sliding across the floor inside the store after the shooting. Quinones-Mendez and the man in the light-colored sweatshirt are seen filming the officers and Spencer with their phones. Quinones-Mendez then grabs the gun on the floor and leaves the scene. Police said the gun he took belonged to Spencer.

Quinones-Mendez was later arrested on Wednesday, Jan. 31 and charged with theft-unlawful taking, theft-receiving stolen property, violation of the uniform firearms act - no license, violation of the uniform firearms act -on streets, obstructing justice and tampering with evidence.

The officer who was shot in the leg was taken to the hospital and later released.

Friends and family members of Spencer disputed the initial police report of the shooting. One of Spencer's relatives -- who did not want to be identified -- told NBC10 Spencer was playing with a gambling machine at the store prior to the shooting. He believes one of the officers involved did or said something to provoke Spencer.

"He takes care of his kids. He's never just out getting in trouble. He do what he gotta do for his family," the relative said. "It's as simple as that and it's not right what he did."

During the press conference on Jan. 30, Krasner and Vanore said they spoke with Spencer's family who asked that the surveillance video be released.

After seeing the video, Spencer's family members want to know why police targeted him that night, even though it appears he did nothing wrong until police approached him.

"For me, my grief has manifested in anger because when they came to me on Friday, they told me your son shot a cop and in turn the cop shot him," Spencer's mother, Yvette Spencer, told NBC10.

She said she was willing to accept what police had told her until she saw the video.

"But when I see the video, that's not what they told me. When I saw the video, I saw them attack my son and then kill my son," she said.

Before police revealed the surveillance video of the shooting, they were investigating another video of the incident that surfaced on social media.

In the video, two officers lean over Spencer and gunshots are heard though it's unclear who fired at who. After the second gunshot, an officer calls for backup and places his knee on Spencer's head.

Police have not released any bodycam footage of the shooting. During the Jan. 30 press conference, Commissioner Bethel said the body worn camera was not initially activated by the officers and that it was knocked off their clothing during the struggle.

The Philadelphia Police Department's officer-involved shooting unit is leading the investigation. Internal affairs and the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office are also investigating.

Both officers were placed on administrative duty pending the outcome of the investigation. Police said they spoke with the wounded officer but have not yet spoken with Officer Hall pending the outcome of the district attorney's investigation which Krasner says could take up to 90 days to complete.

Officer Hall is a 6-year veteran of the Philadelphia Police Department.

Alexander Spencer:

Jose Quinones-Mendez:

Officer Raheem Hall:

Video source:

https://instagram.com/allthingzphilly/reel/C2o6hj5O3Nb/

Full video:

https://patch.com/california/lakeelsinore-wildomar/suspect-armed-knife-shot-rivco-deputy-norco

8 February 2024

NORCO, CA — A person armed with a knife was shot and killed in Norco Thursday after allegedly advancing toward Riverside County Sheriff's Department deputies.

The involved deputy was placed on administrative leave following the deadly shooting while the shooting was investigated, according to Sgt. Deirdre Vickers.

The suspect's identity has been withheld, pending notification of next of kin.

Just after 6 p.m., deputies were called to the scene at Hamner Avenue and 6th Street on reports of a suspect armed with a knife, according to Vickers.

"Upon arrival, deputies contacted the subject and gave commands to drop the knife," she said. "The suspect failed to follow commands and advanced towards the deputies with the knife, and a deputy-involved shooting occurred."

Deputies rendered medical aid to the downed suspect until medics arrived. However, the suspect was ultimately pronounced dead at the scene.

Press release:

https://www.riversidesheriff.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=5240

Suspect's name is Kenneth Andrew Soto:

Weapon:

Video source:

Full video:

El Paso, Texas, United States

The El Paso Police Department has released body camera footage from an officer-involved shooting that happened at a car wash in El Paso's Upper Valley earlier this month.

The video footage was released on YouTube on Saturday night, March 23.

The incident happened around 1 a.m. on March 5 along the 5800 block of Doniphan. Police initially said that an officer was checking on a subject and during the encounter, police said the officer discharged his weapon and the subject died at the scene.

KTSM did a followup story on March 12 in which a Las Cruces family identified the man who was killed as Michael Estrada. Police had not previously identified the man before.

The family told KTSM that they had many questions about the incident.

In the video, the officer repeatedly tells the man, who is sitting in his car, to get out of his car and to relax. The officer also asks the man to tell him what he had in his hand several times and then asks him to see his hand several more times. At one point, the man, who identified himself as Michael Estrada, said he had a gun.

The man also asked the officer several times, “Do you want to go home tonight?”

The officer is then shown firing his weapon multiple times.

https://www.ktsm.com/news/ep-police-release-body-cam-footage-from-officer-involved-shooting/

Sorry for the reupload. Variable framerates are a bitch.

The Baltimore Police officer who shot and killed Tyree Moorehead, 48, a Black man known for spray painting "no-shoot zones" across the city, will not be prosecuted after an investigative report by the state.

Officers responded to the incident near the intersection of North Fulton Avenue and West Lafayette Avenue on November 6, 2022, where the responding officer found Moorehead holding a knife, standing near a woman sitting on the ground.

Investigators said despite multiple orders by the officers for Moorehead to get on the ground, Moorehead lunged at the woman and got on top of her.

That is when 27-year-old officer Zachary Rutherford opened fire, shooting 14 times and striking Moorehead 12 times, according to the investigative report.

An ambulance took Moorehead to a local hospital, where he died of his injuries.

The woman was not seriously injured in the altercation, police said. According to the report, she told police Moorehead grabbed her and began dragging her into the middle of the street by her purse as she attempted to resist.

https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/baltimore-officer-killed-no-shoot-zone-activist-tyree-morehead-not-prosecuted-maryland-investigation/

More info on pinned comment below.

Good Hope, California

Humble, Texas — On March 2, 2024, at approximately 9:40 a.m., Harris County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to the 9800 block of Fleming Springs Drive in East Harris County regarding an auto theft investigation. Deputies met with a complainant, who directed them to a residence where he had tracked his stolen vehicle. Deputies knocked on the door of the home attempting to contact the residence when they heard a suspect flee on foot. Two deputies located a Hispanic male matching the suspect's description walking in the 1700 block of sun Point Court, and talking on a cell phone.

As they approached the suspect later identified as 18-year-old Nathanael Piñon, deputies saw an extended magazine protruding from the front of Piñon's waistband. Both deputies verbally commanded Piñon to stop using his cell phone. Piñon faced the deputies and reached for the firearm in his front waistband. The deputies verbally commanded the suspect to stop breaching for his weapon and, Piñon did not comply with their commands. Both deputies discharged their duty weapons, striking Piñon multiple times. He was pronounced deceased at the scene by EMS. Deputies recovered a 9mm caliber firearm that contained an extended magazine from Piñon's waistband.

Bystander angle:

Full video:

https://abc7.com/anaheim-officer-involved-shooting-woman-killed-bb-gun-pellet/13990407/

29 October 2023

ANAHEIM, Calif. (KABC) -- A 20-year-old woman was killed in a confrontation with Anaheim officers in which she was apparently wielding a realistic-looking BB or pellet gun, police said.

The incident happened Sunday around 9 a.m. in the 1200 block of South Anaheim Boulevard.

Police were sent to the area on a report of a person armed with a rifle.

Several officers became involved in a confrontation with a woman who appeared to be armed. Officers fired, striking her at least once with gunfire, Anaheim police said. She was treated at the scene, then transported to a local hospital and pronounced dead.

Eyewitness video shows officers involved in a confrontation with a woman standing on the sidewalk in front of a Burger King near the intersection with Ball Road.

The officers can be heard repeatedly shouting "Put it down" "Put it down or you're gonna get shot" before opening fire. After she is shot and she is laying down on a bench they can again be heard repeating "Drop the gun now" multiple times.

Police later identified the woman as Abigail Lopez, 20.

Anaheim police say they recovered a weapon at the scene they described as a "A BB or pellet gun that resembled a legitimate short-barrel assault weapon."

No officers were injured. The Orange County District Attorney's office and other agencies are investigating the shooting.

Anaheim police Sgt. Jon McClintock says this is the second police shooting in Anaheim this year.

On Oct. 3, officers shot and killed an alleged sexual assault suspect armed with a knife at an ARCO gas station at Harbor Boulevard and Orangewood Drive.

The district attorney's office is handling that investigation, as well as Anaheim police's internal affairs.

"These officer-involved shootings require scrutiny. We understand that," McClintock said. "It's a very exhaustive investigation that takes place over the years."

McClintock says both officers involved in Sunday's shooting have been placed on paid administrative leave.

Metal stick used:

Weapon comparison:

Her family reacts:

https://www.univision.com/local/los-angeles-kmex/familia-abigail-lopez-exige-respuestas-policia-de-anaheim-disparo-muerte-20-anos

Google translated from Spanish to English

Ramón López holds back tears as he shares his frustration over the death of Abigaíl López , the granddaughter he considers his daughter. He demands answers from the Anaheim police , but no one answers him why officers shot the 20-year-old girl, this Sunday the 29th, at 9:00 am

"'I want you to give me information about my daughter,'" he recalls asking an agent who responded, "'I'm not authorized to give you any information.'" She says she insisted and the next thing she heard was a blunt "'back down.'"

Mary López , Abigaíl's mother, says that she did not receive detailed information either. She explained to him that her daughter "was carrying something" (a gun) and that was why they shot her. The young woman was shot four times and died shortly after in a nearby hospital.

She confesses that she questioned them why they didn't use another way to intervene with her, like "something that would give her electricity" and calm her down. However, when she saw the video of her intervention with Abigaíl López, she noticed that her daughter was not even "accelerated."

In their official report, the Anaheim police point out that the young woman confronted an officer with a pellet gun, which looked like a legitimate firearm .

Abigaíl 'Abby' López was near the Burger King, between Anaheim Boulevard and Ball Road when an officer alerted about the presence of an armed person in the 1200 block of south Anaheim Boulevard. Several agents went to the scene, where they seized the pellet gun.

The journalist Ayled Zuluaga interviewed a witness this Monday, who, although she declined to be identified, recounted what happened: "I saw a police officer coming from above, very hard (in his patrol car), he burned a tire, he stopped. The moment he stopped "He stopped burning the tire and then he started shooting the girl."

When consulted about this case, lawyer Luis Carrillo expressed that "this death occurred under very dubious circumstances . This is an example of the police speeding up too much and not trying to use other methods."

Authorities have not offered any further information about the incident, which is reported to be under investigation by the Orange County District Attorney's Office, Anaheim Police Department homicide detectives, the Major Incident Review Team (MIRT), and Police Department. Internal, among others.

Initial backlash:

https://gladiatortimes.com/9020/news/abigail-lopez-shooting/

The public was outraged by this shooting. Days later, on Friday, November 3rd at 5:00 pm, there was a protest. There were groups of people on each corner of the streets holding posters, screaming, “Honk for Abby.”

A few hours later there was a police officer that drove by the scene. Protestors surrounded the police car screaming and throwing things at the car. There was tagging all over the streets and all over the local establishments, like Burger King.

https://fightbacknews.org/articles/anaheim-demands-justice-for-abigail-lopez

Anaheim, CA – Chants of “Anaheim PD has blood on their hands!” filled the streets of Anaheim on Wednesday, December 6, as over 30 family members and community members rallied in front of the Anaheim Police Department. They spoke on the tragic murder of Abigail Lopez by Anaheim PD.

The rally, organized by Orange County CSO and Abigail Lopez's family, continued with powerful words from Abigail's mother, Mary Carmen Lopez, as she looked up at a police drone that flew overhead for the duration of the rally. “It doesn't seem fair to me that the days pass and she's not here with me and I'm asking for justice! The cops were wrong for shooting a 20-year-old girl. Justice please!”

Protesters then moved from the police station to a busy intersection where cars driving by honked in support of strong chants of “Justice for Abigail Lopez!” and the family's demand to jail the killer cops who are responsible. Mary Carmen Lopez plans to continue protesting and fighting for justice for her daughter in the future.

https://instagram.com/ocprotests/p/C0cLt6WJL7-/

Join the family of Abigail Lopez to demand justice for their daughter who was murdered by Anaheim PD in October!

City of Anaheim press release:

https://www.anaheim.net/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=2799

Video source:

Bystander angle source:

https://instagram.com/reel/CzAUKnqrreW/

Life is strange reference

Full video:

https://www.local10.com/news/local/2024/03/08/sheriff-to-provide-update-on-fatal-shootout-between-deputies-broward-transit-employee/

6 March 2024

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. – Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony held a news conference Friday afternoon, where he released bodycam footage showing the Wednesday night shootout between three of his deputies and a Broward County Transit employee.

Tony confirmed that other Transit employees called 911 at 11:25 p.m. Wednesday.

He said the suspect, Rafael A. Molina, 59, had been working at the Broward Transit bus area near the 3200 block of West Copans Road in Pompano Beach before entering a locker room where he changed into regular clothes.

According to Tony, surveillance video shows the suspect waiting outside a locker room while holding a lunchbox.

When his co-worker exits the locker room, Molina pulls out a gun from the lunchbox and fires multiple shots at the victim at point-blank range, killing him, Tony said.

The victim has been identified as 42-year-old Warren H. Chambers.

The sheriff said surveillance video shows Molina destroying his own cellphone with a hammer before getting into a nearby bus.

As deputies arrived at the scene, Molina exited the bus and fired at them, Tony said.

He confirmed that the suspect fired six gunshots at the more than half a dozen responding deputies and three returned fire, shooting a total of 49 times.

“Make no mistake, this is the only legitimate kill mission we have in law enforcement,” Tony said.

Molina was pronounced dead at the scene.

“He made his mind up that he was going to die that day and kill as many people (as possible), including law enforcement,” Tony said. “No one's expecting us to come here and negotiate with someone who is gunning down individuals.”

Tony described all three deputies who fired their weapons as “courageous” and said he intends to give all three the Medal of Honor.

They have been identified as Sgt. Noel Mercado, 44, who is a 22-year veteran of BSO, Deputy Joseph Sherbo, 31, who has been with BSO for four years and Deputy Richard Delagudio, who has been with BSO for a year.

The footage released Friday came from Sherbo's body camera.

BSO detectives are investigating the shooting between the Transit workers, while the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the fatal deputy-involved shooting.

The three deputies involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative assignments, per standard protocol.

Authorities haven't said whether they've determined the suspect's motive.

Victim Warren H. Chambers:

No pics of suspect yet

More detailed article:

https://www.officer.com/on-the-street/body-cameras/video/53098767/watch-fla-deputies-exchange-gunfire-with-gunman-in-workplace-shootout

Video source:

https://www.facebook.com/browardsheriffsoffice/videos/728685229400455

Full video:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/video-shows-niani-finlayson-shooting-b2472239.html

4 December 2023

A 27-year-old Black woman called 911 for help during an alleged domestic violence incident involving a man authorities described as her boyfriend. When deputies arrived, they found the mother of two armed with a knife, and they fatally shot her.

On 4 December, Niani Finlayson reported that her “boyfriend would not leave her alone and then screaming and sounds of a struggle could be heard”, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) said in a statement.

In the body camera footage released on Friday, yelling could be heard coming from inside of the apartment in Lancaster as deputies approached and tried to kick the door down.

Finlayson opened the door and appeared in the doorway holding a large kitchen knife in one hand, the footage showed. She then threatened to stab the man with the knife, according to the LASD, and that's when a deputy followed her inside and opened fire, killing the woman.

Now, her family has filed a $30 million claim against the sheriff's department alleging wrongful death and civil rights violations.

Here's everything we know about the case so far:

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department released body camera footage on Friday showing the moments leading up to Niani Finlayson being fatally shot by a deputy.

Finlayson was inside the apartment in Lancaster with her nine-year-old daughter and had been injured allegedly by her former boyfriend when she made the frantic 911 call, according to Bradley Gage, the family's attorney.

The body cam footage shows three deputies arriving at the apartment on 4 December, and screams could be heard from inside.

“The female was armed with a large kitchen knife,” the LASD statement said. “The female made verbal threats indicating she was going to harm the male with the knife. When the female approached the male with the knife, a deputy involved shooting occurred.”

“I'm going to stab him,” she can be heard telling the deputies before moving out of sight.

The footage captured two deputies entering the apartment. One of the deputies, later identified by the department as Ty Shelton, asks the other deputy to give him a Taser.

Finlayson has moved to the living room and is seen standing next to a man with one hand on him and the other holding a knife.

Her nine-year-old daughter could also be seen on camera, yelling and pointing at the man her mother is standing next to.

Mr Shelton drops the Taser and then fires his handgun at Finlayson four times, causing her to fall to the ground.

“No, no,” the alleged ex-boyfriend is heard yelling. “Why did you shoot?”

Deputies administered first aid until paramedics arrived and transported Finlayson to the hospital where she was later pronounced deceased, according to a statement from LASD.

The man, who has not been named, became resistant to police after the shooting and was arrested for child abuse and assault on a peace officer, according to a statement from the sheriff's department.

He was later released from custody pending further investigation.

On 21 December, the attorney for Finlayson's family filed a claim against Los Angeles County and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department seeking $30m alleging wrongful death and civil rights violations.

The claim is a precursor to a lawsuit, The Los Angeles Times reports.

At a press conference, Mr Gage said, “Niani had been given a knife to try to protect herself from this man that was accused of attacking her," the Antelope Valley Press reports.

The family argued that Finlayson was a victim of domestic violence and was not threatening anyone when deputies shot her in the back.

“Niani was sitting on the ground when she was shot in the back,” Mr Gage told reporters at the press conference last week. “She was not engaging in any type of physically threatening behaviour at all. In fact, she was the victim.”

“After the shooting, the [man] told the Deputies there was no reason for them to shoot Niana. The response? Beat up the [man],” the claim alleges.

“While some may believe that the [man] ‘got what he deserved,' Deputies are not allowed to needlessly kill women and they are not allowed to engage in vigilante justice,” it said. “No one is above the law.”

He explained that the deputy should have been focused on de-escalating the situation and that the use of a Taser or pepper spray could have done so without killing Finlayson.

“They took a situation that was volatile, but not deadly, and they turned it into a deadly situation with these tactics,” Mr Gage told The Los Angeles Times on Saturday.

He added that Finlayson's death was “inhumane and unjustified” and is calling for Mr Shelton to be charged with murder.

In the claim, Mr Gage also mentioned that “this is allegedly not Deputy Shelton's first killing. Yet he remains a member of the Sheriff's Department with no known punishment.”

In 2020, Mr Shelton shot and killed 62-year-old Michael Thomas in Lancaster when he and another deputy tried to detain him during a domestic violence call, according to county records obtained by The Times.

Prosecutors declined to file charges against Mr Shelton in that case, it was reported, though they acknowledged “there may have been other reasonable options available” to him instead of killing Thomas.

LASD has responded to the claim, stating: “The deputy involved in the shooting has been removed from the field pending the outcome of the Department's critical incident review.”

“The Department will examine and evaluate every aspect of the shooting including the response, tactics, and background of the employee.”

The investigation will include a multi-level review process involving the Office of Inspector General, the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner, and the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, Justice System Integrity Division, according to a statement from LASD.

Tracie Hall, Finlayson's mother, told ABC News that Finlayson did not die immediately.

“She called for help and cried out in pain,” Ms Hall said “Her 9-year-old witnessed the entire murder and her mother's suffering.”

Ms Hall said Finlayson's daughter told her that the ex-boyfriend choked Finlayson and would not get off her.

She said when Finlayson's daughter tried to help her mother, the man grabbed the child and forcefully threw her against a nearby dresser.

“We're trying to, as a family, make her [Finlayson's daughter] not feel guilty for helping her mother,” Ms Hall said. “She was in no wrong. She did nothing wrong. And I want her to know that. I can't express that enough to her.”

Finlayson's daughter at a press conference said she handed her mother a knife before the deputies arrived because the man was "hurting my mother and me". "I didn't have [any] choice but to get something sharp," the girl was quoted by Los Angeles Times as saying.

In a GoFundMe created for Finlayson's children, the organizer wrote that the young mother “called 911 for help and ended up shot dead in her home in front of her ... daughter by LASD."

“It's so unfair that we have to live our lives without Niani Finlayson,” Ms Hall added. “That was my best friend. I'm going to miss her so much. I miss her already.”

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to https://thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential.

l

Her gofundme:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/niani-finlayson

Video source: