By Joanna Putman
Police1
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Newly released body camera footage shows a man point what appeared to be a gun at officers, leading to an officer-involved shooting.
The incident occurred on April 6 when a 911 caller requested police assistance in taking her son to have a mental health evaluation, according to the briefing. Audio from the 911 call revealed that the man was acting violently and erratically and had access to firearms.
Cedar Rapids Police officers responded to the home and were able to persuade the man to go to the hospital accompanied by his mother. Once at the hospital, however, the man refused treatment and left, according to the briefing.
Later the same day, the man called 911 requesting officers to come to his home. He told operators that he wanted to fight an officer and would “kill you all,” and also made suicidal comments, according to the briefing.
Officers who arrived at the scene planned to make phone contact to de-escalate the situation. While they were getting into position, officers observed the man walking onto the street holding what appeared to officers to be a handgun.
Video shows officers approaching the man, repeatedly instructing him to drop the gun. The man refused, instead raising the gun and pointing it at an officer.
Multiple officers fired their service weapons, striking the suspect. The man’s father, who was standing near the man at the time, was also struck by gunfire. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene.
After the incident occurred, the gun the man was holding was discovered to be an Airsoft gun. The Iowa Attorney General’s Office cleared the officers of wrongdoing in the use of deadly force on July 15.