Police helmet cameras reveal how officers fatally shot a homeless man camping in the hills of Albuquerque

Video at link

The shocking moment 38-year-old homeless man James Boyd is shot dead by police whilst camping in the Sandia foothills of Albuquerque has been captured by police cameras.

The video shows a stand-off between police and Mr Boyd, who is shot as he turns round to pick up his belongings.

Authorities said Mr Boyd died after officers fired stun guns, bean bags - a gun designed to fire non-lethal rounds - and six live rounds.

Police Chief Gorden Eden said Mr Boyd had threatened to kill officers and held onto knives as an unarmed K-9 officer approached him.

The footage has sparked outrage in Albuquerque with people protesting over what they see as the police's excessive use of force.

The Albuquerque police department have been involved in 37 shootings, 23 of them fatal since 2010, which critics say is far too many for a department serving a city of about 555,000.

The US Justice Department has been investigating the department for more than a year over complaints of civil rights violations and allegations of excessive use of force.

Original report here

　

　

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