1 week Ago
Police elected not to share video of the deadly shooting itself. The footage, sent to the Times in an email Friday, appears to show an undercover officer waiting to meet the man, identified by the Lake County Coroner's Office as Shahaud Richmond, 21. Richmond was allegedly connected to a "rash of robberies," including threats of violence and money and property theft stemming from social media marketplaces, Gary Police Chief Derrick Cannon Jr.
said in a news conference Thursday. Detectives set up an online sale similar to the prior instances of theft and arranged to meet Richmond Thursday to complete the sale. Richmond and the undercover officer met in the middle of Maryland Street in Gary, the drone footage shows.
Audio from the officer's body camera reveals Richmond was selling him a gaming console, and video shows Richmond hand the officer a black backpack likely containing the gaming system. After a brief discussion, the officer asks Richmond if they can move off the street to avoid potential traffic. As they walk to the side of the road, drone footage shows Richmond reel back as he pulls a large black weapon out from his sweatshirt pocket.
He takes a violent swing in the direction of the officer's head, but the officer appears to duck to avoid the blade. As the men continue to struggle, a second undercover officer comes into the frame of the drone footage, running towards the men with his gun drawn and aimed in their direction. Gary police confirmed Wednesday that an officer watching the undercover operation unfold had indeed shot Richmond, who died from the injuries he sustained.
Gary police did not release the footage showing the shooting. The clips sent to the Times Friday cut as the second officer is seen running with his gun drawn. Richmond's death was certified at 1:26 p.
m. Wednesday, just over an hour after he was shot. The officer who shot him, a 32-year veteran of the department, has been placed on administrative leave while the Lake County Sheriff's Department investigates the incident.
The officer Richmond attacked received treatment for non-life-threatening injuries and was released from the hospital. On Wednesday, Cannon said the department will be investigating everyone involved in the incident and plans to "bring them before prosecution.".
