Video to be released of mentally ill man's shooting by police
MIAMI, Fla. - A 19-minute police dash cam video which purportedly shows the moments leading up to when a Miami Gardens, Fla. police officer fatally shot a mentally ill man will be made public Wednesday, reports CBS Miami.
Lavall Hall, a 25-year-old father, was shot around 5 a.m. on February 15. Hall's mother, Catherine Daniels, had called police for help after he had a psychotic episode, according to the station. She reportedly told authorities her son had been diagnosed as schizophrenic and hoped police would take him to a mental health facility.
Police said when their officers approached Hall, he was wielding a broom handle and became aggressive, reports the station.
According to the station, police say they deployed a Taser but when that didn't work, they were forced to fire.
Hall's family members as well as the family attorney have seen the video due to be released Wednesday afternoon.
"It's very disturbing and I've been a lawyer here in Dade County for 43 years," said Glen Goldberg, the family's attorney. "I have never seen anything on video like this. This video is a blockbuster, a bombshell."
He said the video will shed new light on the investigation.
"The public needs to know what happened under the situation. We have to avoid future situations like this and make everyone accountable for their actions," Goldberg continued.
In a letter, State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle told Goldberg that while she cannot prevent him from releasing the video, its release "may compromise our common goal to seek the truth" and may "undermine the integrity of the investigation."
Hall's family is suing the Miami Gardens Police Department and two officers involved in the shooting, according to CBS Miami.