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The Columbus Division of Police launched body-camera footage late Tuesday displaying the deadly taking pictures of 20-year-old Donovan Lewis, who was killed as he was nonetheless in mattress and probably holding a vape pen.
Authorities say that round 2:28 a.m. on Tuesday, officers tried to serve a felony warrant at an condominium on Sullivant Avenue. Physique-camera footage exhibits Lewis was shot simply seconds after a number of officers entered his second-floor condominium, and fewer than a second after officers burst open his bed room door. Lewis had one hand raised as Officer Ricky Anderson, who had a Okay-9, opened fireplace. The footage exhibits officers then handcuffing a wounded Lewis earlier than rendering support.
Lewis was pronounced lifeless at a neighborhood hospital round 3:19 a.m and no weapons had been discovered within the condominium.
“There was, like, a vape pen that was discovered on the mattress proper subsequent to him,” Columbus Chief Elaine Bryant stated at a Tuesday press convention. “Donovan Lewis misplaced his life. As a mother or father, you recognize, I sympathize and I grieve along with his mom. As a group, I grieve with our group however we’re gonna permit this investigation to happen.”
Courtroom data present that officers had been trying to serve a warrant for improperly dealing with a firearm, assault, and home violence. Bryant stated that Anderson, who has been on the power for 30 years and is within the Canine Unit, has been positioned on depart pending an investigation of the taking pictures.
The incident marks the most recent instance of a search-warrant execution turned lethal. In February, Minneapolis Police Officers fatally shot 22-year-old Amir Locke inside an condominium moments after coming into with a no-knock warrant for a case that had nothing to do with him. In March 2020, Louisville Metro Police Officers fatally shot Breonna Taylor whereas executing the same no-knock search warrant in an investigation into the 26-year-old EMTs ex-boyfriend.
In contrast to the shootings of Locke and Taylor, body-camera footage of the moments main as much as Lewis’ dying exhibits officers knocking on a door for at the very least eight minutes and saying themselves as legislation enforcement earlier than two males open the door. The lads had been instantly detained by police because the Columbus Canine Unit started to clear the condominium.
Seconds later, a canine is seen barking at a again bed room, which prompted Anderson to leash the Okay-9 and push the door open.
“We’re gonna ship that canine in,” one officer is heard saying simply earlier than Anderson pushes open the door. The sunshine from the gun of one other officer is seen shining on Lewis as one other officer yells, “Arms!”
Lower than a second later, Anderson is seen firing a shot at Lewis as he begins to sit down up in a mattress pushed within the again nook of the room. Within the footage, Lewis may be seen elevating his proper hand towards officers, whereas his left hand remains to be again close to the pillow.
After the taking pictures, the footage exhibits an officer repeatedly yelling “arms” earlier than demanding Lewis “crawl out right here” twice. Lewis, nevertheless, stays hunched over on the mattress. Finally, officers enter the room, telling an injured Lewis to place his arms behind his again earlier than ultimately handcuffing him.
One officer is heard telling Lewis to “cease resisting.” One other video exhibits the handcuffed man being carried out of the condominium. Solely then is Lewis seen getting medical support.
“We’re dedicated to full transparency, to sharing as a lot as we are able to as shortly as we’re in a position to take action—and we’re dedicated to holding officers accountable if there was any wrongdoing,” Bryant stated on Tuesday. “Because the chief, it’s my job to carry officers accountable, however additionally it is my job to supply them help and that I give that to them by the method.”
The Ohio Bureau of Legal Investigation has additionally opened an investigation into Lewis’ dying, which is simply the most recent deadly police taking pictures of an individual of colour within the state capital. Two years in the past, a Columbus Police officer fatally shot unarmed 23-year-old Andre Hill within the storage of a house he was visiting. The identical authorities fatally shot 16-year-old Ma’khia Bryant after she appeared to lunge at somebody with a knife throughout a neighborhood brawl.
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