Police in Virginia have released body camera footage from an officer-involved shooting that took place over the weekend in the city of Danville.
The incident cost 25-year-old suspect Juan Jones his life and resulted in protests earlier this week, prompting police to release the footage to ensure the narrative is set straight.
At approximately 1:30 Sunday morning, police confronted Jones after recieving calls reporting that Jones had assaulted a woman.
Finding him in his vehicle, he was ordered out of the vehicle while the alleged victim repeatedly shouted “you did it.”
When officers ask him again to get out, Jones fled in his vehicle crashing into a wooded area not far from where he initially began to flee.
“Oh, he’s going off,” the officer is heard saying.
Exiting the smoking vehicle, Jones is ordered to show his hands and fails to comply.
“Tase him,” one officer yells.
Police attempted to tase him twice with little effect, as only one of the barbs from the device made contact with Jones’ body.
Jones then made his fatal error- he turned towards the officer and made a motion with his hands that clearly appeared as if he were aiming a sidearm.
In the early morning air, four shots rang out- followed by Jones falling to the ground.
“We got one down,” one officer yells after the shots are fired.
“Dispatch, shots fired! Shots fired! Send EMS,” another officer radioed in.
According to WSLS, DPD Chief Scott Booth released the footage relatively early in response to “false narratives” being circulated in the local area.
“We got information earlier today that we had some outside interests that were here that were trying to create a narrative of the situation that I don’t believe is accurate,” said Booth.
Protesters rallied outside the department on Monday, chanting, holding banners and demanding justice for the 25-year-old.
“We can’t keep running to the police. You see they’re no help. It’s time for us to take our streets back, take our children back,” Kawnisha Hairston shouted to the crowd. “It’s time for us to take our streets back. There’s too many of us losing our black men to the streets, to these prisons, to this society. It’s time for us to take our children back, because they mean more to us than anything. It’s time for us to pray, it’s time for us to let each and every one of us know that there is love out here. It’s time for us to come together as a community.”
Booth attempted to speak to the crowd, but was not well-received.
“I’m always open for you. Whatever you need, I’m here,” Booth said. “Just allow this investigation to work its course. Don’t always assume the worst.”
Despite promises of transparency, the crowd could not be swayed.
“It didn’t help (at all),” Hairston said about Booth’s address. “At the end of the day, we know what he stands for. He has to stand by his officers, right or wrong. We know this. We’re not stupid. It’s time for them to stop making us think that they have our back when we know that they really don’t.”
The incident remains under investigation and the two officers involved are expected to be identified later today.