“The family of a mentally ill African-American man who was shot dead by Dallas police last summer has released footage from an officer’s body camera that recorded the incident, the Dallas Morning News reported on Monday. The footage, released by the family of 38-year-old Jason Harrison and their attorney Geoff Henley and published by the Morning News, shows officers responding to the home of Harrison’s mother the morning of June 14, 2014. Harrison’s mother had called for help to take him to a local hospital as he was in a mental crisis, suffering from bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, the Morning News reported. In the video, Harrison’s mother opens the door to the awaiting officers and he appears behind her twiddling a screwdriver. The officers immediately demand he drop the tool and within seconds fire several shots, killing Harrison.”
Some comments on YouTube suggested that Harrison “lunged” or “attacked” the officers, but the video released shows his walking to the side (towards the garage or away from the officers) and getting shot in the back after moving forward out of his own home. The officer’s guns are visible at around :26 in the video, shooting Harrison in the back for no clear reason. There is no evidence of provocative or violent behavior on Harrison’s part, even with the reported psychological profile given.Â
There’s no reason they couldn’t cuff him, call an ambulance, and get him to the hospital as his mother requested. He was outnumbered and outgunned, literally. He posed no threat to the lives of the uniformed jackals.
