By Police1 Staff
MARICOPA COUNTY, Ariz. — Arizona police have released body camera footage of a Maricopa County sergeant shooting a man armed with a knife last month.
According to AZ Central, Sgt. Brandon Wells shot 18-year-old Ismail Hamed on Jan.7. Hamed was later charged with aggravated assault and terrorism.
In the moments leading up to the incident, Hamed called a 911 operator twice asking to speak with an officer and told operators he had a knife and some rocks.
“My name is Ismail Hamed,” he said one of the 911 call recordings. “I live in Fountain Hills, and I’m owing my allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. I just want a cop to come real quick and I want to deal with them.”
Wells’ body camera footage shows the officer approaching Hamed and telling him he wants to talk to him about political issues. Hamed can be seen throwing rocks at Wells and pulling out a knife.
Wells then points his gun at Hamed and tells him to back off, but Hamed walks towards Wells while telling him to shoot him.
The officer fires twice at Hamed, wounding him.
According to an indictment after the incident, Hamed “intentionally or knowingly did provide advice, assistance, direction or management’’ to terrorist organizations. It isn’t clear how Hamed may be connected to any organizations or if he had plans to carry out a terrorist attack.
Hamed is currently in custody at the Maricopa County jail.