Video shows Charlotte man had arms raised when police shot him

CHARLOTTE, NC (FOX 46 WJZY) - Newly released video from the September police shooting of Ruben Galindo shows he had his hands raised above his head seconds before he was fatally shot by police. App users click here.

The video shows Galindo, who is Hispanic, first appear in his doorway holding something indiscernible in his hand. About three to four seconds later, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officers begin to shout orders, first in Spanish then in English, for him show his hands and drop his gun before gunshots ring out. The 30-year-old then falls to the ground outside the northeast Charlotte apartment. 

Click here to listen to the 911 calls from the shooting.

The two officers who shot Galindo remain on administrative leave pending an internal investigation, as is department policy. They have been identified as Courtney Suggs and David Guerra.

**WARNING: Videos are graphic in nature. They have not been edited by FOX 46. Discretion is advised***

Galindo was shot and killed on September 6 when officers responded to a call Galindo made, telling CMPD he was in possession of a gun. The call starts with him asking the operator to send police to his home, but he won't give police his location, his name or any other information as to why he needed police, until almost four minutes into the call.

Later, he says that he wants to turn himself in, that people and police were following him, and that he was tired of it. Operators ask if he has warrants for his arrest, but all he says is that he has a court date on September 9.

Later on during the call, he was asked if he had been drinking or doing drugs. Galindo admits to using both. On the second call back, the operator asks Galindo four times to put the gun in a safe location before officers arrived. Galindo tells the operator that he understood why they were nervous, but there were not bullets in the gun. He did not put the weapon away and was still holding it when police arrived on scene.

According to CMPD, this is what made the officers feel threatened and led to them discharging their weapons. In one of the last calls, you can hear the shots being fired.

Hector Vaca, a local activist for the advocacy group Action NC who filed the petition for the video says he spoke with the family shortly after they watched the playback of their loved one shot and killed.

He read this statement from the family:

“We were life partners and we had a daughter together. Her name is ruby and she's 4 months old. Ruben also acted as a father to my four other children. This is a tragic loss. This was avoidable. The recordings confirm what we already knew. Rueben was seeking help. He repeatedly stated he had no bullets. It has been confirmed he had no bullets. Despite prior statements, Rueben's hands were in the air. We will work with authorities to ensure a thorough investigation is concluded so justice can be achieved for Rueben."

The incident is still under investigation by the Mecklenburg County District Attorney's Office.