Flagstaff Officer Tyler Stewart Shot to Death While Wearing Police Body Camera (VIDEO)

American Power Blog ^ | 1/14/15 | Donald Douglas

[LibWhacker]

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Flagstaff Officer Tyler Stewart Shot to Death While Wearing Police Body Camera (VIDEO)

Well, it's definitely up close and personal.

At the Arizona Republic, "Flagstaff police officer's body camera captures fatal shooting":

EDITOR'S NOTE: The video below is graphic and may not be something you want to see. It was released by Flagstaff Police honoring a public records request by media, including azcentral, The Arizona Republic and 12 News. The video will be part of the ongoing discussion about safety for officers and for the people they encounter, which is why we think it is newsworthy.

There's video at that above link.

And see the Los Angeles Times, "Body camera video of Arizona police officer's killing stirs ethical debate":

The video footage is raw, showing Flagstaff, Ariz., police Officer Tyler Stewart chatting with a man accused of breaking a couple things in his girlfriend's apartment a day earlier. That's what body cameras do: capture the daily work of police officers up close.

"Do you mind if I just pat down your pockets real quick? You don't have anything in here?" Stewart, 24, can be heard asking the suspect, Robert Smith, 28, who had his hands jammed in his pockets. They had been talking in the cold for a few minutes outside Smith's home Dec. 27.

"No, no — my smokes," replies Smith, who had been chuckling moments earlier. Smith then draws a revolver so fast that the gun is almost a blur. The video stops. Stewart is shot five times before Smith fatally shoots himself.

The graphic video altered the usual conversation about body cameras and police accountability by capturing — up close — a polite conversation that instantly turned into a deadly encounter in which the officer had little chance to react.

The Flagstaff Police Department released body camera footage this week in response to several media public records requests.

For several months, nationwide calls for police to wear body cameras have grown as activists and some public officials have pushed for answers after several high-profile use-of-force incidents, including the fatal police shooting of unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson Mo.

In Albuquerque this week, body camera footage was used by prosecutors in their decision to seek charges against two police officers after they fatally shot a homeless man while he appeared to be turning away during a standoff.

"That's what these cameras are for," said Tim McGuire, who teaches ethics at the Arizona State University Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. "They're for accountability, and they're designed to minimize controversy and educate the public about how these things come down."

But the Arizona footage raises questions about the balance between the public's right to know and privacy concerns for officers and bystanders as authorities around the country wrestle with how to regulate the rapidly spreading technology.

"We are currently crafting or looking at legislation that may very well discuss this," Levi Bolton Jr., executive director of the 14,000-member Arizona Police Assn., said Wednesday shortly before a meeting to discuss body cameras at Arizona's state Capitol.

"We acknowledge that the public and the media should have access to this information," Bolton said of body camera footage. However, he was concerned about the appropriate timing for its release and whether such footage should be regulated so that confidential informants, undercover officers or victims of sex crimes are not identified...

Hmm... Actually, the body-camera genie's not going back in the bottle at this point. There's too much demand for accountability. If folks are worried about the sensitive nature of these recordings, there should be strict protocols for public release. I suspect the public's right to know, especially in the wake of the Michael Brown shooting death in Ferguson, is going to outweigh worries about privacy, however.

Still more at the link.

[LibWhacker]

Video at source.

[LibWhacker]

Video also at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQcmAi6OV1I

[Vendome]

What an....

[lee martell]

It used to be the American news outlets would not show something depicting an obvious murder or brutal assault. The Mexican news has always been uncensored in respect to violence. But now, with youtube bringing almost any imaginable action to our private viewing at the press of a button, that has changed.

Secondly, we on the whole as a country have become more accustomed to rough programming
available at all hours. Many viewers expect something edgy or ‘bleep worthy’ in every program. So called humor has become far, meaner and angrier today than twenty years ago. I hope it’s just a cycle that will swing back with the next generation. Otherwise, how low can you go? Don’t answer that!

[Above My Pay Grade]

I hope all the pro thug, Al Sharpton “conservatives” who are calling the cops who had to shoot that knife wielding maniac in NM “murderers” watch this video and take their heads out of their rectums. This is what happens when cops hesitate and allow suspects to do anything threatening, even if it is just keeping their hands in their pockets.

[dr_lew]

But the Arizona footage raises questions about the balance between the public's right to know and privacy concerns for officers and bystanders as authorities around the country wrestle with how to regulate the rapidly spreading technology.

It seems like this misses the point. The public "wanted to know", but they were shown what they didn't want to know. That is, the other side of the story.

[Netz]

Dealth penalty for ALL cop killers...

[Netz]

Dealth? Death

[South40]

Major mistakes made by this officer.

To allow the shooter to go back where he could not see him and then return with his hands in his pockets was one.

To trust him and allow him to keep his hands in his pockets was another.

He should have made sure he had no weapons. A gunfight might have ensued but the officer would have had the advantage of having superior firepower and a vest.

[LibWhacker]

I feel so sorry for him. Young officer. Trying to be a nice guy. Look what it got him.

[South40]

Yeah, it's a sad story alright.

The LE officers I know loathe responding to domestic calls. This is a perfect example as to why.

RIP.

[OrangeHoof]

For every madman cop who starts shooting suspects way too early before it is necessary, there are situations like this where the policeman is literally dead in seconds and his whole family devastated. And for what???

It’s a job you could never pay me enough to do. It’s real easy to play Monday Morning Quarterback about what the cop did wrong but it’s people like this that these folks probably have nightmares about.

[Gaffer]

I think the two cases are completely different, myself. In the NM incident, it wasn’t just pro thug, Al Sharpton “conservatives” who called the cops murderers. It was and is the District Attorney who is charging them with murder.

In this case, the officer was trying to be nice and let his guard down with this killer. Maybe he felt the cold weather was a good excuse to let the guy put his hands in the coat pockets...we won’t know now. We’ve all seen where police often handcuff a detainee “for his protection”. The officer decided to do this too late.

What is similar is that both incidents were recorded. One showing a cop killer, and the other showing two killer cops, one of which is going to get charged with premeditated murder is my guess (because of some statements that were recorded 2 hours earlier).

[Secret Agent Man]

they need to send at least two officers to every domestic violence call, as they are notorious for being very dangerous situations. especially if they know from the call someone has broken things, etc.

[Secret Agent Man]

yeah most officers would not like the guy keeping hands in his’pockets like that. screw the cold.

[puppypusher]

That video is a joke.All it consisted of was a preliminary interview with the suspect.I think it was just bait to get you to go too the website.

I guess this officer didn’t learn that you should always have a backup unit with you while interviewing a potentially violent suspect.According to his girlfriend he tore up her apartment.So he fit that bill.

Sorry for the loss of the officer but that video would be perfect training material to explain what you should not do during an interview.

[I want the USA back]

“may not be something you want to see.”
That’s right, and it should not be posted.

[Flick Lives]

If there can be any plus side to this tragedy, the body cam
- provided indisputable evidence of the perp who shot the cop to death. In this case, the perp then shot himself (saving the public the trouble of a trial), but in the future this sort of evidence could be used to identify and convict a perp.
- provided grim but useful training footage for other cops to not allow a perp to keep his hands in his pockets.

[RummyChick]

That idiot Deray on Twitter who is stoking the racial divide works for the Minneapolis Public School system in some capacity of hiring teachers.

His hate whitey attitude is spewed all over Twitter.

Yet, he still works for their school system that is in complete disarray including having just fired a Superintendent.

I feel for these cops. You are damned if you protect yourself or dead if you don’t.

[Above My Pay Grade]

The biggest difference is that in the NM case the cops KNEW he was armed, had made threats to murder them and had a long history of violent attacks on civilians and LEOs. The only mistake those cops made was not shooting the armed, dangerous criminal about 3 hours and 55 minutes earlier.

Cops who hesitate against armed people making threats will often end up dead cops. No time to be nice and understanding with sociopaths whose lives not only have zero value, but have negative value.