INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis Metro Police Department released an edited video of an incident where an officer shot at man on Indianapolis' near south side Oct. 19.
The incident happened at the Speedway gas station in the 2000 block of Shelby Street, near East Raymond Street.
Officers were at the gas station on an "unrelated strong-armed robbery investigation," which had concluded when a person told them a man in a white Chevrolet sedan in the parking lot had an active warrant for his arrest, police said.
WARNING: The video contains graphic video and language. Those wishing to view it can find it here.
When officers approached the man, later identified as 38-year-old Antoine Beech, who was in the passenger seat of the car, IMPD said they saw a gun within his reach and told him not to reach for it.
In the bodycam video, you can hear officers shouting, "Don't do it" and asking him to show his hands.
In the bodycam and surveillance video, you cannot see the gun police claim Beech had or him reaching for it as officers claim.
NOTE: The above video is from a previous report on the shooting.
IMPD claims Beech began reaching for the gun on his left side with his right hand – and that is when an officer fired.
After the shooting, you can hear Beech telling the officers, "You shot me" and "You shot me in my chest."
According to IMPD, the officer who fired the shot never had his body-worn camera activate. A second officer, also near the front of the car, activated his body-worn camera after the shooting.
Officers claim they provided aid to Beech, but that is not seen in the video released by police.
Beech was described as "stable" when taken to Eskenazi Hospital. Beech's injuries were described as a wound to his right hand and had a laceration to his chest.
A statement from Beech's attorney reads in part:
We were extremely disappointed to learn that Officer Thomas’ body-worn camera was conveniently not operational during this encounter. The lack of this impartial and unbiased evidence, which is supposed to reduce tensions caused by officer-involved shootings by providing an accurate record of what was done by whom and in what sequence, will now forever deny us the ability to determine whether this shooting was justified or another example of an excessive and unnecessary use of force by law enforcement.
Based on the evidence that is currently available to us, we have serious doubts as to the reasonableness of Officer Thomas’ actions. It would be impossible for Antoine to reach for a firearm in a threatening or dangerous manner when Antoine was shot in his right hand, with the bullet entering his palm and exiting out the back of his hand and into his chest, signifying that Antoine’s right hand was raised at the time of the shooting. We are currently reviewing all of Mr. Beech’s legal options with him, and look forward to vigorously defending his rights in these proceedings.
On Nov. 7, the Marion County Prosecutor's Office charged Beech with unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon.
No officers or any other citizens were injured.
Detectives found a gun inside the car in the front passenger seat.
Beech had two active warrants for his arrest, IMPD said. One warrant was for a probation violation with original charges for dealing cocaine and resisting law enforcement, while the other was for two counts of operating a vehicle while intoxicated.
The officers involved were wearing body cameras, at least one of which was activated during the incident, police said. Surveillance video from the gas station captured a portion of the incident.
The IMPD Critical Incident Response Team responded to the scene to begin an investigation. An administrative investigation is being conducted by IMPD Internal Affairs.
The officer who fired his gun, eight-year veteran Patrol Officer Ryan Thomas, was placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure.
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact Detective Sergeant Prater at the IMPD Homicide Office by calling 317-327-3475. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-8477.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to delete a reference to a court order that precluded IMPD's release of the video. That order actually referred to a different officer-involved shooting investigation.