Stockton police release footage of September 11 deadly shooting of suspect with replica firearm
STOCKTON — The Stockton Police Department released footage Thursday of a September incident that resulted in an officer shooting and killing a suspect wielding what was later determined to be a replica firearm.
Authorities have since identified that suspect as Stockton resident Jory Jamarr Lester, 34.
It happened on the night of September 11 along the 1700 block of West Fremont Street near Pershing Avenue. Officers had responded to the area after someone had attempted to kick in the door of a motel and then climb in through a window.
Investigators said the 911 caller had attempted to confront Lester, who then displayed what appeared to be a rifle tucked in his pants. The suspect then ran down Fremont Street and officers found him hiding behind a bridge pillar.
At first, Lester refused to come out when the officers located him. When he finally complied, he walked past the officers. When he was told to stop, the suspect, police said, pulled what appeared to be a firearm from his pants.
The video released Thursday includes body camera footage of the moment an officer fatally shot Lester in the street. (Viewer discretion is advised: you can view the video in full here.)
The video also includes audio from a 911 call. The caller described that they were in the office of a motel and saw, through a security camera, a person on the third floor trying to kick in a door. The same caller later told police dispatchers that the person had a long gun in his possession and jumped through a window.
"He dove through the window. He is so high. His hands are bleeding," the caller said.
The caller told police that the suspect was hanging out of the window and bleeding when he showed the caller the gun.
Stockton police said a multi-agency critical incident investigation and an internal use of force review related to the shooting are still ongoing.
