AKRON, OH - Officials with the Akron Police Department (APD) have released body camera footage and security video showing an officer-involved shooting that left a man dead who was suspected of stealing a U-Haul box truck earlier in the month.
According to NBC News, police released body camera footage from two officers on scene and the security video from the gas station where the shooting took place. The video shows the moments leading up to the fatal shooting of 54-year-old Michael Jones on Saturday, August 17th. The video also shows officers attempting to arrest him prior to the shooting, including when Jones drove off with the officer still in the truck.
The officer who discharged their duty weapon was a police veteran who had been at the APD for two and a half years. He has since been placed on administrative leave as is usual after an officer-involved shooting, while an investigation is conducted. As of this writing, the officer has not been identified publicly. FOX 8 reported that investigators said the officer fired two rounds during the incident.
Officers were at the gas station around 1:00 a.m. investigating a stolen vehicle, which they had seen in the gas station's parking lot. APD spokesperson Michael Miller said that the vehicle was rented and then wasn't returned to U-Haul on the agreed upon date, prompting U-Haul to report it stolen. APD said that a 911 caller had said Jones was shot while handcuffed, but that those "claims are inconsistent with the body camera footage, and the shooting of Mr. Jones occurred inside the vehicle. He was not handcuffed at the time."
Police said that Jones was removed from the vehicle and was handcuffed before medical assistance was provided. Previously, APD said that officers found a loaded firearm inside the vehicle, but new footage suggests that an "officer found the firearm on or near Mr. Jones after he was removed from the vehicle."
Regarding the released footage, Mayor Shammas Malik said in a statement, "Today, the Akron Police Department released body camera footage and surveillance camera footage of the officer-involved shooting last Saturday that resulted in the death of 54-year-old Michael Jones. My heart goes out to his family and this loss. While it is never easy to watch someone's last moments, I believe it is important that our community has a clear picture of what we know so far. I also want to acknowledge that the investigative process is in the beginning stages.
I am committed to making sure our community continues to have robust, open conversations about public safety, in order to strengthen a collective sense of safety in Akron. My thoughts remain with the loved ones of Mr. Jones, and with the officers involved." The state Bureau of Criminal Investigations will be conducting the investigation.
APD said that the bureau also responded to the scene. When the investigation is complete, the case will be turned over to the state attorney general's office for review before it is submitted to the Summitt County Grand Jury for evaluation. APD said that its Office of Professional Standards and Accountability is conducting a separate investigation. Those results will be reviewed by the police chief and the city of Akron police auditor.
According to NBC News, police released body camera footage from two officers on scene and the security video from the gas station where the shooting took place. The video shows the moments leading up to the fatal shooting of 54-year-old Michael Jones on Saturday, August 17th. The video also shows officers attempting to arrest him prior to the shooting, including when Jones drove off with the officer still in the truck.
The officer who discharged their duty weapon was a police veteran who had been at the APD for two and a half years. He has since been placed on administrative leave as is usual after an officer-involved shooting, while an investigation is conducted. As of this writing, the officer has not been identified publicly. FOX 8 reported that investigators said the officer fired two rounds during the incident.
Officers were at the gas station around 1:00 a.m. investigating a stolen vehicle, which they had seen in the gas station's parking lot. APD spokesperson Michael Miller said that the vehicle was rented and then wasn't returned to U-Haul on the agreed upon date, prompting U-Haul to report it stolen. APD said that a 911 caller had said Jones was shot while handcuffed, but that those "claims are inconsistent with the body camera footage, and the shooting of Mr. Jones occurred inside the vehicle. He was not handcuffed at the time."
Police said that Jones was removed from the vehicle and was handcuffed before medical assistance was provided. Previously, APD said that officers found a loaded firearm inside the vehicle, but new footage suggests that an "officer found the firearm on or near Mr. Jones after he was removed from the vehicle."
Regarding the released footage, Mayor Shammas Malik said in a statement, "Today, the Akron Police Department released body camera footage and surveillance camera footage of the officer-involved shooting last Saturday that resulted in the death of 54-year-old Michael Jones. My heart goes out to his family and this loss. While it is never easy to watch someone's last moments, I believe it is important that our community has a clear picture of what we know so far. I also want to acknowledge that the investigative process is in the beginning stages.
I am committed to making sure our community continues to have robust, open conversations about public safety, in order to strengthen a collective sense of safety in Akron. My thoughts remain with the loved ones of Mr. Jones, and with the officers involved." The state Bureau of Criminal Investigations will be conducting the investigation.
APD said that the bureau also responded to the scene. When the investigation is complete, the case will be turned over to the state attorney general's office for review before it is submitted to the Summitt County Grand Jury for evaluation. APD said that its Office of Professional Standards and Accountability is conducting a separate investigation. Those results will be reviewed by the police chief and the city of Akron police auditor.
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Comments
2024-08-30T09:27-0500 | Comment by: thomas
Good shoot