Waukegan Police release body camera footage of officer fatally shooting man armed with knife and hammer
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Waukegan Police on Friday released body camera video footage showing an officer fatally shooting a man during a confrontation last month.
Officers were called to a home in the 1000 block of Glen Court around 12:45 p.m. on Aug. 24, for reports that a man had smashed a neighbor's window and set a wooden fence on fire. Callers also told police the man had poured gasoline on the neighbor's house, and was trying to start up a chainsaw.
Body camera footage released on Friday shows that the first officer who arrived on the scene spotted the burning fence and retrieved a fire extinguisher from his squad car to put out the flames, when a man began approaching him on the driveway.
The officer can be seen dropping the fire extinguisher and shouting "drop the knife" as the man continues walking towards him, and raising his right hand above his head, grasping a knife. Moments later, the officer fires five shots, and the man drops to the ground.
Waukegan police said the man, 26-year-old Jesus Angel Manjarrez, was armed with a knife and a hammer. He also had a gasoline can taped to his chest, police have said.
Manjarrez was pronounced dead at the scene.
Illinois State Police are investigating the shooting.
As CBS 2's Jermont Terry reported, Manjarrez's mother said her son suffered from mental health problems, and she was horrified having witnessed what ended up happening.
Diana Manjarrez was in the yard at the time of the incident, and witnessed police kill her son.
"That's my only son," she said at the time. "They could have Tased him. They didn't have to shoot him."
Waukegan police have said the officer feared for his safety, and that was why he shot.
It was Ms. Manjarrez who made the call to 911 for help.
The reason, she said, was "because he had two knives in his hands."
Manjarrez's mother said her son was having a mental breakdown.
"He had duct tape in his head," Ms. Manjarrez said, "because like I said, he had problems – you know, mental problems – and he thought he was Rambo."
Neighbor Stan Reyes said on the day of the shooting he couldn't believe what played out across the street from his house.
"It's hard to see this happen – especially with the neighbors; being my neighbor's son," Reyes said.
Waukegan Police said the Illinois State Police investigation is ongoing, and their report will be released after it is reviewed by the Lake County State's Attorney's office.