SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sacramento Police released body camera footage from the officer involved shooting that killed 22-year-old Jeremy Southern at an apartment complex near Sacramento State University.
Police said officers were at The Crossings apartment complex on Ramona Avenue on Tuesday, July 21, to investigate a shooting from July 15. While at the complex, police say an officer identified Southern as the man matching the description of the previous shooting because of a "distinctive visible tattoo."
In the footage from multiple body-worn cameras, officers can be heard identifying themselves as police and shouting at Southern to drop his weapon. Footage from a witness recording from an apartment above appears to show Southern aiming his weapon toward the officers.
Police say Southern is heard on the video saying “Imma die today,” and “I’m not going back.”
Eventually, an officer armed with a rifle fires one shot, hitting Southern and causing him to drop his gun. According to a police statement, Southern moved “back towards his firearm” before an officer fired a second shot hitting him again.
Investigators have not said where Southern was struck by each bullet.
Southern was taken from the scene in critical condition. He died from his injuries at a hospital.
WARNING: The video below contains graphic content, including video of the deadly shooting. Viewer discretion is advised:
Last week, ABC10 spoke with Southern's sister Ida Southern, who raised questions following the shooting.
"The first shot, if he had a loaded gun pointed at them, which it shows in pictures and videos, then I can't get mad at the first shot, because everyone knows if you point a gun at the cops [that is] what's going to happen. But the second shot should have never happened. My brother should still be alive," she said.
Former Sacramento County Sheriff John McGinness reviewed the footage and gave ABC10 his feedback. One of his first takeaways was that the second shot was a necessity by law enforcement officers.
“The handgun was within his reach,” McGinness said. “He’s moving towards it, or appears to be. You have to stop that.”
McGinness said because Southern was a suspect in another shooting, was non-compliant with officers and armed, he was a threat.
“[Officers] are very concerned for their own well-being and watching him as a threat to them, but they’re also continuously and constantly distracted by their own efforts to keep the rest of the people safe and direct people out of that area,” McGinness said.
He added that the physical distance between the officers and Southern plays a role.
“Yes, one shot hits him and he’s down, but he is absolutely a threat to the safety of people around him until he is stopped,” McGinness said. “Given their distance and the lack of likelihood of being able to close that space on foot to get to him, I think their actions were 100-percent warranted.”
Read more from ABC10
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