Body camera shows moments before deadly shooting of officer
AMERICUS, Ga. - The Georgia Bureau of Investigation released new video of what happened just before two Americus officers were shot and killed.
The body camera video was from Officer Nicholas Smarr’s uniform back on December 7 when the deadly shooting happened during a domestic call in Americus, Georgia.
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The video begins with Officer Smarr driving to the scene. He jumps out of his patrol car and knocks on the door, and identifies himself. The suspect, Minquell Lembrick, can be seen darting out of the back door. That’s when Officer Smarr and his best friend, Georgia Southwestern University Officer Jody Smith pursued Lembrick. The video shows the suspect turn and prepare to fire. A gunshot can be heard, but the tape stops before the officers are shot.
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The Executive Director of the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police said the officer’s did everything right.
“They did exactly what they should have done in that situation. They see somebody fleeing and they pursued him,” Frank Rotondo said.
Many police departments are equipping officers with body cameras such as the one Smith is wearing in order to provide greater transparency of these sometimes fatal encounters.
RELATED: Funeral held in Americus for fallen GSW police officer