Footage from police bodycam released Friday has shown the moment Ariane McCree, an African-American man was shot and killed outside a Walmart in Chester, South Carolina.
He had been accused of shoplifting from the store.
A handcuffed McCree was shot in a parking lot outside the store in November 2019 by police officers responding to a distress call.
Although his family and friends say the suspect’s killing did not make sense, investigators said he had a gun on him, which made him a threat.
A family friend, Melba Carter Faison, said, “You got a young man in handcuffs behind his back. How can this person do all that you are claiming? It doesn’t make sense. Doesn’t add up at all.”
The police officers said McCree pointed a gun at them while handcuffed and they responded in self-defense.
He allegedly assaulted a security guard while on handcuffs and ran away, but officers said he ran to his car to get a gun.
In the video, an officer can be seen walking towards McCree with a gun pointed at him. The officer fires several shots before McCree falls to the ground.
When the officer runs to McCree, he appears to pull a gun from his side, footage shows.
McCree can still be seen in handcuffs.
McCree was taken to the hospital but later died of his injuries.
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