Act Daily News
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Family and family members of Derek Diaz, who was fatally shot final week by police in Orlando, Florida, say viewing officers’ body-worn digital camera footage of the encounter has solely left them with extra questions.
Diaz, 26, was shot within the early morning hours of July 3 after he was approached by a number of officers whereas sitting in a parked automobile, in keeping with physique digital camera footage launched Wednesday by the Orlando Police Department.
In the footage, an officer will be seen approaching Diaz from the motive force’s facet of the automobile. After briefly talking to Diaz, who seems to be complying, the officer opens the automobile door whereas telling Diaz to place his arms on the steering wheel. Diaz then reaches his proper hand towards the automobile’s heart console earlier than an officer fires what feels like a single gunshot.
Less than a minute passes between the officer approaching Diaz and the shot being fired, the video exhibits.
Officers rendered support to Diaz till first responders arrived and transported him to a hospital, the place he was pronounced lifeless, police stated.
The footage was proven to Diaz’s household earlier than its launch however provided them little closure, household lawyer Natalie Jackson stated.
“They thought they might get answers,” Jackson stated. “What we saw on the video left more questions than answers.”
Among these questions, she stated, is why police initially approached Diaz.
Jackson stated the video exhibits Diaz “sitting peacefully in a legally parked car when he was aggressively approached by three armed police officers, and in less than one minute, he was shot.”
In a press release launched with the physique digital camera footage, police stated Diaz tossed an object out of the window after he was shot “that was later identified as narcotics.”
Orlando Police Chief Eric D. Smith stated in a press release that officers “proactively patrol to remove illegal drugs and crime guns” from Orlando streets. He added that the intersection close to the place Diaz was confronted had seen “431 incidents in the last 18 months.”
Jackson stated Wednesday that Diaz was unarmed, and there was not a gun in his automobile.
Sonja Nava, the mom of Diaz’s younger daughter, stated Wednesday that the video doesn’t present Diaz committing any wrongdoing.
“All we know from that video is that he was sitting in his car. He was doing nothing wrong. In less than a minute, he was dead,” Nava stated whereas talking to reporters.
Smith stated he and his division “understand the need for answers.”
“Maintaining the integrity of the investigation process is also needed so that the facts are provided fairly and transparently. An investigation involves not only body worn camera video of the incident but also includes the collection of witness testimony,” the police chief stated.
The division has not launched the names of the officers current throughout the taking pictures. The officer who fired was unhurt and has been positioned on administrative depart, it stated.
The police division is cooperating with a Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation into the incident, Smith stated. The division additionally stated it’s going to conduct its personal inside investigation.
Source: www.cnn.com