Body Cam Video Shows Officers Shooting, Killing Suspect
FORT COLLINS, Colo. (CBS4)- The Fort Collins Police Department has released body camera video of the shooting death of a man that occurred in August 2015.
The video shows the officers confronting the man and telling him, "Jerry keep your hands out of your pockets for me" and "Hey drop that knife! Drop it right now."
The police arrived on the scene after receiving a call from Jerry Lee Jackson's estranged wife. Pearl Jackson who told the 911 dispatcher, "He has a knife in his hand and he's coming at us."
The officers repeatedly warn Jerry Jackson, 63, to stay back and empty his hands shouting, "Drop that knife do not come toward us."
The three officers warn him he will be shot if he does not drop the knife. He keeps moving forward and the two officers use tasers.
"We have two taser deployments failed. We're too far away," one officer stated.
Jackson continues to move forward and the officers fire. Jackson goes down.
This was the first time Fort Collins police had captured such a shooting on a body camera.
Fort Collins Police Chief John Hutto told reporters, "It is unfortunate he chose to end his life by involving others but I am extremely proud of the three officers commend them for their actions on this tragic night."
He is calling what happened a case of "suicide by cop."
Jackson's wife told CBS4 she supports the officers' actions. Her husband was apparently upset over a pending divorce.
CBS4's Rick Sallinger is a Peabody award winning reporter who has been with the station more than two decades doing hard news and investigative reporting. Follow him on Twitter @ricksallinger.
