Body Cam Footage Shows Tense Moments Before Sacramento Officer Shoots Suspect

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - Authorities have released body camera footage of an officer-involved shooting incident from back in September.

Back on Sept. 18, police say bail bonds agents were trying to serve a warrant to a wanted suspect at a home along the 7600 block of Bellini Way. Agents went inside and found the suspect in a bathroom; he was armed with a handgun, agents told officers.

Tense moments between officers and the suspect soon followed. At one point, officers say the suspect fired his gun while inside the bathroom.

Officers continued to try and talk to the suspect, as documented on the body camera video. The man walked out of the bathroom and was commanded to put the gun down, but at some point he allegedly pointed the gun at officers.

An officer can then be heard firing four shots at the suspect.

"He was pointing it at us," an officer is heard saying.

The suspect, 30-year-old Kristopher Velez, was hit several times. He was taken to the hospital and is continuing to recover from the injuries. No criminal complaint has been filed against Velez at this point.

While the investigation is still ongoing, the police department has released footage of the incident to give the public a better understanding of the incident.

"By releasing the videos which captured the event, we believe this will benefit the community in understanding the nature of what transpired leading up to the use of deadly force by officers," the department wrote in a release.

The officer who opened fire has been identified as 17-year veteran John Harshbarger.