Cellphone Video Shows Final Moments Of Stockton Police Shooting
STOCKTON (CBS13) — Cellphone video of the final seconds of a deadly confrontation between a suspect and Stockton Police has raised concerns among local activists.
Alone on the sidewalk and surrounded by police—cops showed up for a report of a man with a hammer vandalizing a house.
In the cellphone video, neighbors can be heard screaming for him to put the hammer down, but the man responds that he doesn't want to.
As the minutes drag on, someone sees a police K-9 officer. That K-9 rushes the suspect. It appears he swings his arm down multiple times. Police say he hurt the dog's snout with his hammer.
The K-9's handler can be seen running in. Then stun guns, then three deadly shots seconds later.
Aaron Paradiso, an outspoken of Stockton Police says he and other activists obtained the videos from bystanders. He says the clips prove police shouldn't have pulled the trigger.
"I mean that could've been any one of us," he said. "That could've been any one of us, and that's flawed protocol and flawed leadership."
But Stockton Police say the video actually supports officers' version of events, showing the suspect attacked the K-9 with the hammer and was going to go after officers next. They say it shows the stun guns had no effect, forcing the police to fire.
"That video tends to exactly and confirm the sequence of events on how the shooting and how the events that led up to the shooting went down," said Stockton Police spokesman Joe Silva.
