Off-duty officer heard yelling, 'I'll kill you,' before shooting man who appeared to go for her gun
By: (I did my best to sync the audio on both videos)
New surveillance shows the moments before and after an off-duty Chicago Police officer shot and killed a man during a struggle in the Brainerd neighborhood last month.
The incident took place just before 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18, along 90th Street near Loomis Street.
Police said at the time that the officer, who was off-duty and lives in the neighborhood, interrupted an apparent robbery in front of an apartment building.
The officer announced their office and attempted to intervene in the incident, police said at the time. A suspect was struck by gunfire after a struggle ensued over the officer's gun, police said at the time.
COPA released several video clips of the incident. Video mounted on a nearby building shows the officer trying to defuse a quarrel between four people β of whom 39-year-old Leevon Smith is one.
The other three later leave, but the officer goes on talking to Smith β until at one point, he grabs the officer, and a struggle ensues. Smith appears to be going to for the officer's gun. The officer's Crocs also come off during the struggle.
The audio and video on the clip are out of sync.
But in the audio, the off-duty officer could be heard yelling, "I'll kill you," after Smith grabbed for her gun. Three shots are heard, and the officer is then heard yelling, "Didn't I just say I'd kill you?"
She is then heard saying: "Call the police, I just shot somebody!" and "I just told you I'd shoot your ass β you tried to rob me!"
The officer repeatedly says the man tried to steal her gun from her, as she repeats exhortations to call police.
Several minutes passed before an ambulance arrived - and during that time, the officer never rendered any aid to Smith, who was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, initially in serious condition. He died two days later.