Recently released dash cam footage shows a Lawrence Police Officer mistakenly shoot a suspect in the back in Kansas. The incident occurred when the responding officer claims she went for her Taser, but accidentally pulled and fired her duty pistol.
“Brindley Blood, the officer who shot the man, is charged in Douglas County District Court with reckless aggravated battery. Blood has maintained the May 29 shooting was accidental and she meant to reach for her stun gun instead of her firearm,” KansasCity.com reported.
The incident occurred when the suspect, later identified as, Akira S. Lewis, refused to comply with the initial responding officer, Ian McCann, during a traffic stop, according to KansasCity.com.
Footage shows McCann initially stop Lewis for what the officer said was a failure to wear a seatbelt. However, the suspect wanted no part of the conversation, cursing and demanding he speak to a supervisor.
Lawrence Police Incident
“I’m not going to get anybody. We’re going to take care of our business and I’m going to get you on down the road,” McCann pleads with the man in the video. “If you would like to make a complaint after that you are more than welcome to do so. I’m not going to stand out here and have court with you and have an argument with you on the side of the road. I need your driver’s license and your insurance card. If you give me that I’ll get you your citation and I’ll get you on your way, and you’ll be out of here in five minutes or less.”
But Lewis becomes irate over the stop, claiming the officer stopped him due to race. “Get the f*ck out of my face, I’m telling you, bye,” Lewis responded.
“This is the silliest thing I’ve ever had to do,” McCann sighed as he tried one last time to get the suspect to comply. “You’re about to go to jail for a seatbelt violation. Are you really wanting to do that?”
Officer Mistakenly Pulls Gun
At this point, Blood arrives on the scene to backup McCann, and the two begin attempting to remove the suspect from the vehicle. Footage shows Blood in the passenger side of the suspect’s vehicle as McCann finally physically removes Lewis from the driver’s side. The two immediately tumble to the ground, and the suspect ends up on top of the officer, punching him in the face. That’s when Blood races to the fight, pulls her gun, yells “Taser, Taser, Taser!” and shoots the suspect in the back, coming dangerously close to shooting Officer McCann in the process.
“Oh sh*t, I shot him,” Blood says following the shot.
Blood resigned from the department in January and faces charges of reckless aggravated battery. Meanwhile, Lewis, considered both a victim and a defendant in the incident, faces charges of battery on a law enforcement officer, interference with a law enforcement officer, no proof of insurance and driving without a seat belt, according to KansasCity.com.
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