New Body Cam Video Released Of 2016 Police Shootout With Chelsea Terror Bomber Ahmad Khan Rahimi
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Chilling new video has been released from the police shootout that ended in the arrest of the infamous Chelsea terror bomber, Ahmad Khan Rahimi.
Rahimi was already sentenced to life in prison for the Chelsea bombing, but this week he's in court again. This time the convicted terrorist is facing attempted murder charges for the shootout with police in New Jersey wounded two officers.
New video released in court Friday from a Linden police officer's body camera captures the moment the officer was shot after he realized he was face to face with a terror suspect.
"Your hand away from it right now! Take your hand away from it!... Shots fired! Shots fired!"
The heart-pounding moment a Linden police officer is shot in the chest by a suspect was captured by his body camera. His life was saved by his bulletproof vest.
"Shots fired! He hit me in the chest! Right there, that's him right there! He's shooting at the car, he's shooting at the car!"
Officer Angel Padilla first encountered Ahmad Khan Rahimi in the doorway of a Linden bar in September of 2016.
He appeared to be sleeping and claimed he was homeless.
Two days earlier, police say he planted bombs in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood that injured nearly 30 people when one of the devices exploded.
Another bomb went off earlier that same day at the starting line of a charity 5k race in Seaside Heights, New Jersey – no one was injured at that event.
When Padilla began to question Rahimi in the doorway, he realized this was the wanted man and things quickly escalated.
"Get up for a second. You have anything on you you're not supposed to have on you? Anything in your jacket?... Stay right there, stay right there."
"What's in there? What do you got in there? No, no, no, don't take it out, don't take it out, take your hand away from it, take your hand away from it, take your hand away from it!"
Shots were then fired and Padilla ran to his patrol car, as Rahimi is seen in several surveillance camera angles from area businesses running away and still firing a handgun at officers.
"Suspect running down Elizabeth Avenue! Shots fired! He's gotta handgun! He's gotta handgun, blue, blue hoody sweatshirt!"
The bomber could be seen on surveillance cameras running past an auto repair business as the shots continue. The workers inside quickly shut the door once they hear the commotion.
Another officer's body camera shows him grab a rifle and head in Rahimi's direction; eventually finding him already in custody on the ground.
Rahimi was shot seven times during the shootout.
Another officer was grazed in the head by a bullet and later recovered.
A federal trial is still pending against Rahimi in New Jersey on other terror-related charges.