By Joanna Putman
Police1
SAN PABLO, Calif. — Body camera video released by the San Pablo Police Department shows the officer-involved shooting of a man who threatened family members and said he would kill police officers.
The Sept. 8, 2023, incident began when a woman called 911, reporting that her husband was showing signs of schizophrenia. Audio from the 911 call shows the woman was worried about how the 44-year-old man would respond to a police presence.
The caller told dispatchers that there were four other people inside the home with herself and the suspect, who was locked in a room at the time.
Police arrived on the scene and attempted to communicate with the suspect, still locked in the room. The suspect would not speak to the officers. The 911 caller told the police that the suspect did not live in the home. She also said that he was not acting violently at the time and agreed to call 911 again if he exhibited any more concerning behavior, according to the video release.
About an hour later, the woman called 911 to ask police to return to the home. She said that the suspect was now outside the home, and she did not want him to come back inside. While the caller was speaking with dispatchers, the suspect could be heard in the background saying that he would kill police officers and make them kill him.
When officers arrived at the scene, they attempted to communicate with the suspect in the front yard of the home. An officer can be seen pulling a crying woman from a vehicle in the driveway.
The suspect did not follow officers’ instructions, hiding along the side of the house and throwing bricks at officers. The officers then deployed less lethal bean bag rounds and TASERs.
The suspect then grabbed a 3-foot-long metal pole and began to charge at the officers. An officer then shot Smith in the leg.
The suspect was then detained and taken to a hospital. He survived his injuries, according to the release. He has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer.