Akron PD releases video of the Fatal Police body camera shooting a Cincinnati man

Akron, Ohio – The video of the Akron Police body chamber launched the officers asking for a Cincinnati man to let his weapon fall several times before the officers shoot him.

After Marcus Smith, 39, fell to the ground after receiving a shot, the officers continued shouting commands so that Smith dropped his gun, then shot him several times more.

“The officers are recognizing that they are shooting. I listen to numerous commands to stop shooting,” said Force Tim Dimoff expert, who spoke with News 5 on Saturday after the video launch.

“I think this is a reaction of the textbook of the officers who responded, they extend, they have to respond with the use of high -level force,” said Dimoff.

“And then I was very impressed the immediate response to the subject, although this subject shot them, they responded immediately to apply first aid and also to ask for EMS.”

Akron’s chief Brian Harding issued a statement with the video:

“This incident highlights the challenging encounters and sometimes dangerous that our officers face every day. Often, our officers face difficult decisions in the interest of public safety and in the most extreme cases, those decisions can mean life or death .
Any loss of life is tragic and my condolences are with Marcus Smith’s family while crying the loss of his loved one.“

The mayor of Akron, Shammas Malik, issued a statement on the shooting:

The images of the camera used in the body published today underline the dangerous situation that our officers found on Monday morning. During the incident, the officers tried to stop Marcus Smith, who was repeatedly armed and shot a weapon. I am very grateful that no other lives have been lost in this incident. My thoughts are with all the officers who respond while processing this traumatic meeting, with the residents of the neighborhood who witnessed it, and with our officers who begin the changes every day, knowing that they can have to respond to a similar call.

The mayor also pointed out Smith’s struggles with mental health:

I want to recognize these challenges and share my condolences to their family members. I also want to be clear that nothing excuses or justifies dangerous or fatal actions.
For anyone who needs support with mental health challenges, seeking help is an incredibly significant step, for you and others. Any person in our community can begin that process by calling at any time or sending text messages to their postal code to 898-211 so that assistance through the text is connected to resource suppliers.

Smith’s family spoke with News 5 on Thursday and told us that he believed that his struggle with mental health played a role in the tragedy, and they are urging more mental health awareness between families and the community where they live.

Men’s family shot with the Akron police calls for mental health awareness

“We know that I was not being treated properly,” said Smith’s aunt Jackie Jackson. “And that is what we want to contribute to the avant -garde, is that, you know, to obtain people the help they need, making sure that they are adequately diagnosed, making sure they are receiving the treatment they need.”

The research carried out by BCI is still ongoing.

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