Bodycam shows cops shoot and kill man - before finding he's holding plastic fork

24 February 2024 , 22:43

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Bodycam shows cops shoot and kill man - before finding he's holding plastic fork

A man clutching a white plastic fork was shot and killed by police, according to recently released footage. Officer Caleb Garcia-Alamilla, who joined the force less than a year ago, fatally shot 36-year-old Jason Maccani, according to officials.

Officers from the Los Angeles Police Department responded to a 911 call on February 3rd, stating that a guy was acting aggressively at a downtown warehouse studio.

The man was carrying what seemed to be a rod or pole, according to the caller, who also claimed the man appeared to be "homeless" and "tweaking." Seven police officers were present during the fatal shooting, which was captured on body camera footage that law enforcement officials made public on Tuesday.

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LAPD officials were responding to a call about a disturbance by a homeless man (nbcnews)

LAPD Capt. Kelly Muñiz said that Maccani is seen in the video carrying an instrument that investigators believed to be a knife or a screwdriver. Police can be heard telling Maccani to move backwards towards them and come out with his hands up in the video, and he did as instructed. The video then shows him turning around and moving in their direction after an officer ordered him to halt.

Police also said Jason Maccani appeared to be "tweaking" (nbcnews)

In response, police fired beanbag rounds and rubber bullets. Maccani approached them farther, snatched the beanbag gun's barrel, and let out a loud cry. One of the officers then shot him with a revolver, and he was knocked to the ground after being grabbed by another officer and forced into a metal fence.

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The plastic fork can be seen (nbcnews)

A cop is heard in the audio recording enquiring as to whether any shots were "lethal." Someone else said, "I did."

Maccani was shot in the chest, not the arm, as the officer had claimed, according to the autopsy. LAPD Captain Kelly Muñiz stated that until paramedics came, officers administered CPR to Maccani. At the hospital, the doctor declared him dead.

The altercation quickly escalated, leading to officers pushing Maccani against a fence (nbcnews)

When the item Maccani was carrying was found by the police, they discovered it was a plastic fork. It was presented as proof. The California Department of Justice is currently looking into the shooting, and the Maccani family has engaged a counsel, according to NBC Los Angeles.

"I remain concerned about the officer’s decision to use deadly force," LAPD Chief Michel Moore said. Maccani's family stated in an interview with The Los Angeles Times that although he had never engaged in violent behaviour, he had a lengthy history of mental health problems and was going through a bipolar episode at the time of the shooting.

Mike Maccani, his brother, questioned how seriously the officers could have taken the fork for a weapon (nbcnews)

Mike Maccani, his brother, questioned how seriously the officers could have regarded the white plastic fork for a potentially lethal weapon.

Mataeo Smith