Police in Dayton, Ohio, have released body camera video showing an officer stopping a male on a bicycle for a traffic violation — but it turns out he had a gun, ran from police, and was fatally shot amid a struggle for the weapon.
The male was identified as Reginald Thomas, 44, WHIO-TV reported, citing the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office and Dayton Police Department.
‘He’s got a gun! He’s got a gun!’
The incident occurred just before 9:30 p.m. Tuesday in the area of N. St. Clair and E. Third Streets, the station said.
Police Chief Kamran Afzal on Wednesday said an officer was on routine patrol and saw Thomas, who was riding a bicycle, commit a traffic violation and stopped him, WHIO noted.
Thomas kept trying to show the officer his ID even though he wasn’t asked to show it, police told the station.
The officer then asked Thomas if he had a weapon, WHIO noted, adding that Thomas in the bodycam video can be heard denying he had a weapon.
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Image source: Dayton (Ohio) Police bodycam screenshot
The bodycam video then shows Thomas jumping off his bike and running from the officer.
Image source: Dayton (Ohio) Police bodycam screenshot
The officer soon catches up to Thomas and takes him to the ground, the video shows.
The bodycam video shows that Thomas appears to have a gun in his hand, WHIO reported.
Image source: Dayton (Ohio) Police bodycam screenshot
Indeed, the officer begins yelling, “He’s got a gun! He’s got a gun!”
After a struggle, the officer points his gun at Thomas and orders him to drop his weapon, the station said, adding that Thomas complies, and the officer re-holsters his gun.
However, when the officer attempted to handcuff Thomas, he fought the officer — and in the new struggle, the officer and Thomas began moving toward the gun that Thomas had just dropped, WHIO said.
The station added that the bodycam video appeared to show Thomas again reaching for and gripping the weapon, the station said.
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Image source: Dayton (Ohio) Police bodycam screenshot
With that, a second officer who arrived for backup fired one shot, which struck Thomas, WHIO reported.
Officers rendered aid to Thomas before he was taken to Miami Valley Hospital where he later died, the station said.
You can view bodycam video of the incident just below:
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The officer who initiated the traffic stop and the officer who fired the shot both have three years of service with commendations and no discipline, police said.
Police provided post-incident images showing the recovered gun and loaded magazine as well as a mugshot of Thomas indicating his previous convictions for resisting arrest, assault, and aggravated menacing.
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Image source: Dayton (Ohio) Police
Image source: Dayton (Ohio) Police
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office will conduct a criminal investigation and present the facts to the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office, the station said, adding that the Dayton Police Department’s Professional Standards Bureau will conduct an internal administrative investigation.
Editor’s note: This article has been edited after publication to correct “accommodations” to “commendations” in the officers’ service records.
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