Body camera footage from deadly officer-involved shooting expected to be released
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HARTFORD, Connecticut (WFSB) — State investigators are currently reviewing body camera footage from several Hartford Police officers, going over every second of Saturday’s deadly officer-involved shooting.
Both Mayor Luke Bronin and Hartford Police Chief Jason Thody stressed today the investigation is being done thoroughly by investigators who normally wouldn’t look into incidents in Hartford, wanting the community’s trust in a time when trust in policing is strained.
Several Hartford Police officers’ body cams were rolling in the moments before and after Officer Ashley Martinez fired her gun.
They were responding to a 911 call, alerting them to a man holding two guns in the middle of the street.
Mayor Bronin and Chief Thody reviewed the footage before it was turned over to the state.
“Two different officers were heard on the body worn cameras indicating he was pointing the firearm, that he had started to point the assault rifle at the officers and at that point, one shot was discharged,” explained Chief Thody.
The suspect died at Hartford Hospital this morning.
State Police’s Eastern District and the Milford State’s Attorney’s office are now reviewing this shooting, both going outside of their jurisdiction to investigate.
Chief Thody says this should only give the investigation more credibility.
“I think the more independent an investigation like this can be, the better. Having the Milford State Attorney’s office come up, which also doesn’t have a lot of interaction with Eastern District Major Crimes is another level of independence as well,” stated Chief Thody.
Wanting the video to be seen by the public as soon as possible, Mayor Bronin says he’s been in contact with Milford State Attorney Margaret Kelley.
He says there’s a mutual understanding between the two to get the footage available to the public soon.
“I have urged her and asked her to release all information, including all body camera footage as quickly as possible. She has assured me that she and her team will be working to do that and that it is her goal, to release that footage well in advance of the seventy-two hour deadline,” added Mayor Bronin.
Again, Mayor Bronin hopes the state releases the body cam footage on Monday.
He also took a moment earlier to say his heart is with the suspect’s family, saying:
“Any loss of life in our community is a tragedy for the community.”
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