Cops Release Bodycam Footage in Shooting of Unarmed Teen

Dylan Noble was killed on June 25
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 14, 2016 12:44 PM CDT

Another fatal police shooting from last month is getting attention, and the police department involved released body camera video footage from the incident Wednesday, the Fresno Bee reports. Dylan Noble, 19, was killed in Fresno, Calif., on June 25 after police responded to a 911 call about a man walking around with a rifle. While in the area, officers pulled over Noble's pickup; they say Noble was "peeling out" and continued to drive after they signaled him to stop. After pulling into a gas station, Noble got out of his truck and walked toward the officers. The video shows him repeatedly ignoring officers' commands to stop and to show both his hands. Officers believed Noble, who repeatedly reached toward his waistband, was armed; they ultimately shot him twice after he yelled "I [expletive] hate my life" and continued toward them. After "pleading" with him to show both hands, officers shot him two more times while he was already on the ground.

It was ultimately determined that what Noble had in his hand was a 4-inch-by-4-inch piece of clear plastic with something resembling gray clay inside; the Department of Justice is analyzing it. Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer says the department is investigating and that he will focus on whether the third and fourth shots were "absolutely necessary." As the Washington Post reports, soon after Noble's death, people pointed out on social media that the shooting wasn't getting as much attention as the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, presumably because Noble was white. (At a vigil the day after his death, there were Confederate flags and a "White Lives Matter" sign present.) Now Noble's father tells the Guardian the new video shows police were "trigger-happy," and his mother has started the process of suing the city, the Bee reports. In addition to the internal investigation and the DOJ, the county DA's office and the FBI are also investigating. (More police shooting stories.)

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