Mesquite Police Release 911 Call, Bodycam Video In Deadly Shooting Of Ashton Pinke
MESQUITE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - The Mesquite Police Department on Friday released a 911 call and body camera video of the incident involving Ashton Pinke, who was fatally shot by two officers earlier this week.
Police said they responded to a disturbance call at the Audobon Park Apartments on Tuesday, May 4. According to police, the call came from Pinke's girlfriend and that the call disconnected.
The call to 911 lasted over a minute, and screaming and crying could be heard in the background. At one point, the operator notes hearing a woman say, "Please don't hit me."
The two officers involved were dispatched to the address and radio traffic could be heard saying the address was linked to Pinke, who has a history of bipolar schizophrenia and depression.
Bodycam video showed one of the involved officers knock on the apartment door, which was answered by Pinke. The officer told him the department received a call about a disturbance, which Pinke replied by saying "There's no disturbance here" and closing the door on the officer.
Soon after, the victim told the officer at the front door that Pinke was trying to run and climbed on a balcony. The video showed the two officers outside and confronting Pinke, who police said charged at them with a knife and a club.
The officers could be heard saying "Don't do it, don't do it" before he is seen running toward them. Pinke was seen dropping a club and a box cutter as he was shot. He later died at a hospital.
During a news conference Friday, police said they interviewed Pinke's girlfriend and found evidence that he punched her multiple times and "applied pressure on her neck, restricting her breathing." The victim reported the incident began after Pinke became upset over a financial situation.
Police also released photos of the club and box cutter. "Investigators learned the club had been modified to have sockets and batteries taped to both ends," police said.
Police said the alleged assault would have resulted up to a second-degree felony charge against Pinke.
According to police, the victim told investigators that after Pinke closed the door on one of the officers, he said, "They are going to have to kill me."
Pinke's family said he struggled with mental health. The family's attorney said he believes the response by police should have been a mental health welfare check.
Pinke was a father of four children, according to his family.
The officer, whose bodycam footage was released, is a 25-year veteran of the force, while the other officer involved is a 21-year veteran.
Police said the case will be handed off to the Dallas County District Attorney's Office for review after it is completed. The two officers will also be under investigation by the department's internal affairs unit.