Phoenix PD releases body cam footage of July 4th officer-involved shooting, suspect identified
Phoenix PD releases body cam footage of July 4th officer-involved shooting, suspect identified
The aftermath of a July 4 Phoenix officer-involved shooting was released by the department on July 6th. Protesters are asking for justice in the 29-year-old deaths, demanding for the release of the entire body cam footage.
PHOENIX - Phoenix Police officials released body cam video of the deadly July 4th officer-involved shooting 2 days after the incident. The victim in the shooting was also identified.
Initially, officers came to a home near Indian School Road and 51st Avenue because of a tip on an aggravated assault case from a week ago.
Police say the suspect was believed to be there just before 1 p.m. Officers found several people at the home and a man inside a car.
"There was also a male subject within a vehicle parked in that driveway. At some point within discussing or talking with that male, he armed himself with a handgun and an officer-involved shooting occurred," said Sgt. Maggie Cox with the Phoenix Police Department.
Police say the man died at the hospital after being shot.
He's identified as James Porter Garcia, 29.
Steven Merry is his friend and says he has a cell phone video of the shooting. He says officers quickly drew guns on his friend and doesn't know why.
"They put the gun on his head like this and they're still telling him not to move, to get his hand off a gun he (didn't) have and then they shot him again. They made sure he was dead," Merry said.
Police say there are two officers involved in the shooting. Both had body-worn cameras activated.
The shooting sparked protests over the Independence Day weekend with people demanding the body cam video to be released.
On Monday, the department released a video showing parts of the incident. The entire body cam footage cannot be released due to it compromising the investigation, the department says.
It's unknown if the man shot and killed is the suspect in the aggravated assault police were looking for.
No officers were injured.
VIGIL TO REMEMBER GARCIA
Viri Hernandez with Poder in Action spoke at a vigil and march held in honor of Garcia Monday night.
"We are angry, we are frustrated, we are done with the police lying," she remarked.
The protest was organized by Black Lives Matter and Poder in Action. The groups are demanding the release of the entire body camera footage of the incident leading to the death of Garcia.
"We want every single video. The family demands every video, the full 911 call, the dispatching, everything," Hernandez said.
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