Body camera video released in fatal police shooting of 19-year-old Kadir Skinner
Skinner was fatally shot on June 24 by a Wilmington, Delaware, police officer.
The Delaware Department of Justice, in conjunction with the city of Wilmington and police, released body camera footage on Thursday in connection with the June 24 fatal shooting of 19-year-old Kadir Skinner by a Wilmington police officer.
The videos, which include footage from three officers who responded to the scene, show the moment shots are fired and an officer recovering a gun from the scene. The videos do not show what police say led to the chase and don't appear to show Skinner holding a gun.
The recovery of a gun was referenced in a June 25 release from the Wilmington Police Department, which said that police were patrolling the area, investigating a police-involved shooting, when they said they “observed a male subject armed with a handgun exit a residence and point the firearm towards the crowd.”
As police approached Skinner, he “fled on foot,” and during the chase “a police officer engaged with the suspect and discharged their department-issued firearm, striking the suspect,” police said.
Harry Daniels, an attorney representing the family, disputed the police’s account that Skinner pointed a gun and claimed during a press conference on Thursday that Skinner was running away from a pit bull when he was fatally shot.
“The video to us is not clear enough to determine where and when, if a gun actually exists,” Daniels said. “We don't believe that Kadir even knew that a police officer was chasing him because he was running from a dog,” he added.
Attorneys for Skinner’s family announced during a press conference on Thursday that they have filed a notice of a $25 million wrongful death claim against the City of Wilmington.
ABC News has reached out to the city for comment.
Wilmington Mayor John Carney said in a statement posted on his Facebook account on Thursday that the body camera footage “does not capture the totality of the incident.”
“We are committed to transparency during this process and to conducting a thorough investigation,” he said. “We are releasing the body camera footage because we are at a point where it will not compromise the remaining investigation.”
What the body camera footage shows
The footage released on Thursday begins seconds before an officer exits his vehicle, running and yelling, “drop the gun, drop the gun!” Seconds later, gunshots can be heard, and the officer yells, “Shots fired!” according to the video.
The video does not show what police say led to the chase and does not show Skinner the moment that shots are fired.
When Skinner comes into view, he is already kneeling on the ground and a gun cannot be seen. “I got nothing,” Skinner repeatedly says as he is being handcuffed. “He threw something,” an officer said, but it is unclear what he is referring to. “Secure the gun,” an officer says and police appear to be looking for a gun.
As officers appear to search for a gun, an officer says, “I have it! Firearms recovered.”
In the video, the officer who recovered a gun from the scene can be seen unloading a gun and placing it in a police vehicle, the video shows. “I don’t got nothing, I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe,” Skinner repeatedly says as she is being held face down by an officer.
In the minutes following the shooting, there appears to be some confusion among officers as to whether Skinner sustained a gunshot wound, video shows.
“Are you hit?” an officer asks. “I don’t know, I can’t breathe,” Skinner says. “Be advised shots fired by police. The suspect does not have any [gunshot wound],” an officer initially says. But moments later, police appear to realize that Skinner was shot and they begin to call for medics, the video shows.
“Get medics here, Get medics here he had a [gunshot wound]. We need medical, We need medical,” an officer says.
Medical units are called to the scene around two minutes and forty seconds after shots were fired, according to the video.
According to the Delaware Division of Forensic Sciences, Skinner sustained a single gunshot wound to his upper left buttocks area. Police said that he was transported to an area hospital, where he died from his injuries.
“When I gave birth to Kadir, I named him Kadir because it means powerful. His middle name is Asad; it means lion,” Skinner’s mother, Rashai Skinner, said during a July 2 press conference. “You guys, the police, have woken up a lioness and I am not going to stop fighting for my son … I demand justice for my son.”
The Wilmington Police Department told ABC News that the officer, whose name has not been released, has been placed on administrative leave amid the ongoing investigation.
The Wilmington Police Department and the Delaware Department of Justice told ABC News on Thursday that the investigation is ongoing.
“Our prayers remain with Kadir's loved ones, and all members of our community who have been affected by this tragedy,” said Mayor Carney.
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