By Police1 Staff
CHICAGO — Body cam footage captured the fatal shooting of a fleeing suspect who police said was armed and fired at them.
On June 6, the LEOs were conducting a narcotics investigation when 24-year-old Maurice Granton Jr. fled from them, WLS-TV reported. Officers pursued Granton and told him to stop. That’s when the suspect pulled out a weapon and “an armed encounter between the offender and police ensued,” according to police.
The footage shows Granton running toward a fence and starting to mount it when an officer fires at him. Granton is seen on video falling to the ground and writhing before he stops moving altogether.
One officer is heard telling Granton to remain on the ground and directs other LEOs toward what he says is a weapon. Police later released a photo of the gun they recovered that they said belonged to Granton.
Body cam footage worn by an officer who didn’t fire at Granton captured the beginning of the pursuit. An officer is seen on video jumping out of his SUV and pursuing Granton down an alley. After Granton hops a white fence, four gunshots can be heard in the background. It’s not clear where the shots come from.
According to police documents released along with the video Wednesday, the officer who fired at Granton said the suspect fired at him first.
Granton, who was shot in the back, was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. The medical examiner ruled his death a homicide.
The man’s death sparked outrage among the community and Granton’s family. Family attorney Andrew M. Storth said the video contradicts the initial police narrative that Granton, who has a criminal record that includes convictions for robbery and theft, was armed right before the shooting, according to the Associated Press.
In a statement, Chicago police said it’s “fully cooperating” with the investigation of the shooting. The officer who shot Granton was assigned to administrative duty for 30 days, per department policy.