By Police1 Staff
CHICKASHA, Okla. — Police released body camera footage Thursday of a fatal November 19 shooting of a drunk man who fired shots on an officer.
According to The Express-Star, police responded to a call that Steve Vananda, 56, was drunk and threatening his family with a gun. Family members said he had multiple firearms and could see officers approaching on the home’s security cameras. They told police he was upset about his wife passing away three years ago.
Officer Chad King entered the home after hearing screams and found Vananda and his father arguing in a bedroom, the publication reported.
When King announced that he was with the police department, Vananda can be seen grabbing a gun. King told Vananda to drop the weapon multiple times. When Vananda aimed the gun at King, the officer opened fire, killing Vananda.
District Attorney Jason Hicks told the publication that it was determined that King fired the first round, but Vananda returned fire.
Hicks said King was justified in the shooting due to the fact he had “less than one second to make a determination as to whether he should fire his weapon.”
“In a split second decision, Officer King chose to protect Sanford Vananda, Officers Kerr and Peck and himself,” Hicks said. “It is obvious that if Steve Vananda were to fire upon any of the officers first, one of them could have easily died as a result.”