By Jason Kotowski
The Bakersfield Californian
OILDALE, Calif. — Police released surveillance video Monday of an officer-involved shooting that resulted in the death of a suspected burglar holding a black tire jack that officers believed was a rifle.
The video shows a person — later identified as 27-year-old Jason Lee Alderman — breaking the glass on the front door of a Subway restaurant at 1205 Olive Drive. Alderman’s head is covered with what police said is a towel, and he’s holding an item later identified as a tire jack which he used to break the glass.
(Bakersfield PD Image)
Alderman enters the restaurant. There appears to be another video segment combined with the footage that then shows Alderman heading to the front door.
He ducks as if trying to go under the broken section below the door’s handle when he falls backward, with what appears to be blood materializing in drops around his body.
The video was provided to The Californian by KGET Channel 17.
Prosecutors said no criminal charges will be filed against Senior Officer Chad Garrett in the Aug. 22 shooting. Prosecutors concluded the facts and the law indicated Garrett’s actions were “objectively reasonable and therefore justified“ as Garrett believed Alderman pointed a short-barrel rifle at the officer’s head.
Witnesses reported hearing Garrett order Alderman to “drop the gun” numerous times, prosecutors said. Alderman ignored the commands of Garrett and another officer as he tried leaving the business.
A blood sample retrieved during Alderman’s autopsy showed his blood alcohol content was 0.17, more than twice the legal driving limit. Marijuana was also detected in his system.
The Alderman family has retained the services of celebrity attorney Mark Geragos, who is representing three other families in the Kern County area in connection with officer-involved shootings.