Body Cam Video Released In Officer-Involved Shooting Of Armed Man
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia police have identified the suspect they say was involved in the officer-involved shooting that took place Wednesday night.
Police say 37-year-old Jose LeBron has been charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault and other similar charges.
On Thursday, police released body-cam video of the incident.
In the video one officer can be seen driving down the block, spotting something, hopping out of his car and yelling: "Hey hands up, hands up, hands up!" He was one of seven officers who fired their weapons, three from SEPTA, four from Philly Police.
The shooting happened Wednesday when authorities responded to a call for a person with a semi-automatic handgun around 7:30 p.m. in the 400 block of East Somerset Street in Kensington.
Moments after getting the call about the man with the gun, neighbors say a woman was shot.
When officers arrived on the scene they confronted the suspect who police say was pointing a gun toward officers and threatening to shoot them.
Police say LeBron ignored repeated command to drop his weapon.
As a result, seven officers opened fire on him, including four officers with the Philadelphia Police Department and three officers with SEPTA police.
In the body camera video LeBron can be seen extending an arm holding an object. Officers did recover a gun on the scene.
"If we take the step to get body cameras for our officers, then we have to provide that video for the public," SEPTA Tom Nestel said. "You know it should be a public program, not a private investigative tool."
Nestel said it was in that spirit he released the video less than 24 hours after the incident, even while Philadelphia Police continue to handle the primary investigation.
The fact that all three Nestel's officers who fired also recorded video, and the fact that the video is already available, stands in stark contrast to what is playing out in Minneapolis. In that case, Justine Diamond, an Austrian immigrant, was shot and killed by an officer. Body cameras were not turned on.
Nestel said it took some retraining but now all his officers know that as soon as they get any radio call or believe they are at the beginning of an incident they press the record button before doing anything else.
Investigators believe the suspect shot the woman before he threatened to shoot police. The pair reportedly live together.
LeBron was transported to Temple University hospital with gunshot wounds to his right shoulder and both legs. He is currently in stable condition.
The woman, who police found in a pool of blood at a nearby home, was also transported to Temple University Hospital and is listed in critical condition.
Police say LeBron's firearm was recovered at the scene.