Evansville Police release body-cam video of officer-involved shooting of a man armed with a knife

Police have released the body-cam video of an officer-involved-shooting that left one man dead in Evansville.

The initial call came in around 10:30 this morning from a home in the 1300 block of North Third Avenue, near Florida Street in Evansville. According to police, the man called 911, and mumbled “they are killing people,” before the line went cold.

“He wouldn’t answer their questions,” says Taylor Merriss, with the Evansville Police Department.

Police went to the home to check on the man, and a woman opened the door and let them in. Officers can be heard on the body-cam asking the man what he needs help with and asking why he needs an ambulance. Officers say the man appeared to be in distress and was holding a knife.

Officers are heard on the body-cam video saying he has a knife in his right hand and is acting weird. Police say they asked him to put the knife down several times. When he refused, an officer tased him. Police say the taser had no effect and the man came towards them with the knife in his hand. Police say that is when an officer fired at the man, killing him.

“Anytime an officer is involved in an officer involved shooting, they are immediately removed from the scene. Their duty weapon is taken from them, and they go to a hospital to perform a kit to make sure there was no alcohol or narcotics in their system,” says Merriss.

Tina Wilkins lives across the street. She met the man and his family several times and says she is sad to hear the outcome.

“He got shot. He was a good guy. They just moved in three months ago. He was a very nice, respectful man,” she says.

Wilkins also says she saw one child come out of the home after the shooting. But no one is saying who the child is or how much of the incident the child may have seen. Police say the officer has been placed on a leave of absence while they investigate what happened.