A Reading police patrol car sits in the 600 block of Tulpehocken Street. Greenwich Street to rear of photo. Flashing lights illustration for increased violence in the northwest part of the city.FULL FRAME for croppingPhoto by Jeremy Drey6/19/2008 (Photo By Jeremy Drey/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images)
Newly-released video footage shows the shocking moment when an off-duty Chicago police officer fatally shot a man as he reportedly grabbed her gun during a struggle last month, telling the man “I will kill you!” before unloading her firearm.
The officer, who lives in the Brainerd neighborhood where the incident took place, just before 1 p.m. back on Jan. 18, according to police.
CBS News reports that the off-duty cop spotted a robbery in progress in front of an apartment building, and attempted to intervene. That’s when authorities say the suspect was shot amidst a struggle over the officers gun.
“I’ll kill you!” the officer yelled. “Baby, I’m sorry,” shooting victim Leevon Smith responds. “I’m sorry. … I don’t want to die.”
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) eventually released multiple video clips of the deadly shooting, with footage taken from a nearby building showing the cop attempting to intervene in a fight between four people.
39-year-old Leevon Smith, who was amongst the four, was the one to be fatally shot.
The other three had left the scene shortly before the deadly shooting, and when the officer went to talk with Smith he grabbed her as the two begin to struggle.
Smith could be seen attempting to reach for the officer’s gun before three shots were fired.
Although the audio and video on the clip are not properly synced, the off-duty officer, who has not yet been publicly named, could clearly be heard yelling at him.
“I’ll kill you,” after Smith grabbed for her gun. “Didn’t I just say I’d kill you?” she said after firing the three shots.
Immediately after the shooting, the officer can then be heard imploring anyone in the vicinity to call the police, and that she “told (Smith) she would shoot his a**” while accusing him of trying to rob her.
“Call the police, I just shot somebody!” and “I just told you I’d shoot your a** – you tried to rob me!”
A tactical response report states that Smith posed an “imminent threat of battery,” even without a weapon, as he physically attacked the officer. It described the incident as an ambush with “no warning,” according to ABC News 7.
The officer, who only joined the police force last June, was treated for a cut above her right eye at Little Company of Mary Hospital in Evergreen Park, per the arrest report.
She can then be heard repeatedly claiming Smith attempted to steal her firearm from her while continuing to yell for someone to call the police.
An ambulance showed up a few minutes later, however the officer did not attempt to aid Smith as they waited for EMS to arrive.
Smith was transported to Advocate Christ Medical Center in serious condition, but his health continued to decline despite hospitalization.
He died two days later, according to authorities.
The officer involved was placed on routine administrative duties for 30 days, the Chicago Police Department said last month.
Meanwhile, Smith’s estate has filed a lawsuit against the city and the officer on Feb. 3, pushing for a judgment of $10 million, ABC News 7 reports.
