SAPD body cam video shows officers pursuing, fatally shooting wanted man

0:00 - Not Narrated
2:37 - Narrated

Body camera video released to the public Friday shows a March pursuit during which San Antonio Police shot and killed a 27-year-old man after he allegedly reached for a firearm.

Police edited the video from a dashboard camera and several body cameras. It runs 6 minutes and 35 seconds and can be seen in its entirety here. (WARNING: Violent content.)

It is still not clear whether officers hit Johnson before they got out of their car, a claim Johnson's sister has made.

The dash cam video shows the moment police spotted Johnson, riding his bicycle. The officer turns on the patrol unit's emergency lights and pulls near Johnson.

The video then cuts to body camera footage of an officer stumbling out of the car to chase the 28-year-old, who is running through a neighborhood and into Alazan Creek.

Officers drew their weapons as Johnson emerged from shallow water in an embankment. Police can be heard yelling, "Drop it!" and then "Gun, gun, gun!" before opening fire.

More than 10 gunshots are audible in the video.

Another body camera video shows part of the pursuit and the shooting from a different angle. Police muted the camera's audio and did not say why.

An SAPD official narrating the edited video said police "spotted a gun in (Johnson's) right hand as he exited the shallow water."

The footage shows something in Johnson's hand as he stumbles out of the creek. After the shooting, an object is visible near his body as another team of officers approach.

Police later identify the object as a gun used in a number of crimes, including an aggravated assault.

San Antonio Police now say they had been looking for Kevin Johnson for days. They wanted to arrest the 28-year-old for felony possession of a firearm and violating parole, part of a prior sentence for assaulting a peace officer.

Following the March 14 incident, SAPD Chief William McManus said three officers opened fire in the shooting.

Neighbors, friends and family gathered at the site of the shooting in the aftermath, at which point bystanders briefly started throwing objects at officers and cursing them.

A KENS 5 photographer spotted the growing crowd rocking a police car, apparently in an attempt to tip it over. In response, SAPD officers used pepper spray to disperse the group. Police arrested at least one person during the fracas.

The next day, community advocates demanded release of the body cam footage.

“Regardless of whether he was armed or not, this is a clear show of excessive force,” Ananda Tomas, a representative with the local police accountability group ACT 4 SA, said at the time.

Officials say the investigation is ongoing.
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