Body camera video shows Cleveland police officer shooting man outside nightclub

Body camera video has been released by the Cleveland Division of Police showing a sergeant shooting a man outside a nightclub on the city's west side last weekend.

According to police, the incident began with two men involved in an altercation inside of Belinda's Night Club on Madison Avenue at around 2:30 a.m. on Saturday.

Once outside of the club, Cleveland police say the victim, a 28-year-old man, was being chased by a 34-year-old man.

Body camera footage shows the police sergeant doing paperwork in his vehicle outside of the club as the fighting began. When he hears yelling nearby, the officer calls out, "what are you guys doing?" As he honked his horn, shots began to ring out.

The officer got out of his car and yelled out to a man on his right to "put your gun down, put your gun down." He then fired several shots at the man, repeating his command to put the gun down.

The sequence from when the commotion began in the video until when the sergeant fired took just 16 seconds.

After the shooting, the officer started to walk across the street and makes a call that he needs assistance at Belinda's. "I got a male down. Male down," he said. As he works closer to the man, several observers start to enter the scene wanting to assist the fallen man.

"I'm going to help him," the sergeant said to the group. "I'm going to help him. Please stand back." At least five people are seeking to get closer to the man as the officer calls for EMS to arrive.

"Nobody is against you," one of the witnesses tells the officer. "He shot first," others are heard saying.

Approximately two minutes after the incident began, a Cleveland Division of Fire truck is at the scene with a firefighter coming out to provide medical assistance to the man. The victim was found shot a few yards further down the street.


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[MegaPerry]

Hope the outcomes of it all comes out so the right person can be held accountable

[jjtrades]

Id bet my house that neither one of the ppl who were shooting were legally allowed to own firearms

[Bluecrows]

All outstanding pillars of the community.

[zeeshandogar]

That police officer and those like him are everyday heroes, respect.

[robbomyth]

I thought you were allowed to defend yourself in America with a gun. Your cops are so bad.

[srtmo]

people in the comments when the officer cant read everyones mind at once within 16 seconds:😱

[charliepiland]

News story omits the only relevant data point: did the cop shoot the initial aggressor (who started the gunfight)…or did the cop shoot the victim of an armed assault who was merely defending himself (lawfully) when the cop then shot him?

[duane]

I commend the police officer for doing the right thing!

[HeidaGonzalez]

This was not self defense….the police that shot the shooter and the detective working the case confirmed that my nephew did not have a gun. A huge fight broke out in the club and the shooter was angry because my nephew hit him inside the club so he chased him out with a couple of his friends the same friends all on camera lying saying that my nephew shot first. He then pulled his gun and shot my nephew in the head. The cop did tell him to put his gun down and he refused that is why he got shot although if you listen closely to the audio when the officer tells him to put the gun down the shooter shoots a 4th round at the same time as the police officer does so he was warned and fail to comply and even if he didn’t give the shooter time to put the gun down the threat was already there when the cop himself is witnessing him shooting and hitting my nephew 1 time in the head also you can see in the video innocent people walking by not knowing what is going on they are caught up in a crossfire so the cop did exactly what he is trained to do. I’m hoping that the news will post more footage from inside the club so everyone can see for themselves that the real victim here is my nephew. BTW the one screaming help me in the beginning of the video was my nephew not the shooter

[cdcd]

I believe he raised his weapon towards the cop, so this is justified. I bet that is also an illegal weapon.

I don’t feel bad. Criminals shoot at each and cop puts an end to it.

[uranusimploding]

Punks, guns and clubbing what could go WRONG

[jaysauced]

It’s crazy cause the guy the cop shot was protecting himself

[shallot]

people call it self defense but it looked more like a shootout to me...

[boatlover]

I didn't see the officer ignoring them! He yelled what are u guys doing, honking his horn and if you really watch the gunman held his gun by his side and raised it towards the officer and got himself killed.

[archerbob]

So let me get this straight, the cop shot the victim who was defending himself, who made no aggressive move or otherwise towards the cop.

[ignacioromero]

See this is why guns are important in this country....the entertainment value plus the Casket Sales...

[OrlandoUsedCarsForSale]

How can he be on leave when he’s a hero

[terrybane]

Non compliance comes with a price and always will.

[occultusskull]

A.n.i.m.a.l.s shooting each other into he middle of the day, evening, night.. lmaooo

[joemarshlljmp]

So If someone shoots at me and I return fire, I'm just gonna get shot by a cop?