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Police respond to backlash after release of 2015 shooting body camera video

7 years 5 months 4 weeks ago Thursday, September 29 2016 Sep 29, 2016 September 29, 2016 9:44 PM September 29, 2016 in News
Source: WBRZ

MARKSVILLE - Louisiana State Police took to Facebook Thursday to express their displeasure in the public's response to video showing the moments officers shot at a car, killing a 6-year-old and injuring his father.

In the post, they call the backlash "ironic" and say "we are the agency that conducted the independent investigation and arrested the officers." They also ask the public to "get your facts straight before you attack us."

Body camera footage released Wednesday afternoon shows the moment two local marshals opened fired on a car killing a child and injuring his father and the confusion that ensued when additional authorities arrived at the scene. 

The video is about 13 minutes.  WBRZ released the first 30 seconds of the video upon receiving the video and additional segments will be shared during News 2 broadcasts later Wednesday.  The video, kept under seal since the shooting last year, was released by a judge during a hearing concerning the case.

Jeremy Mardis, 6, was killed and the child's father, Chris Few, was hurt in the shooting after local marshals opened fire on the vehicle Few was driving.  Two officers, Norris Greenhouse, Jr. and Derrick Stafford, face charges for the shooting.  During the hearing Tuesday, an investigating State Police officer revealed of 18 weapons casings found, 14 came from Stafford's gun.  Mardis was shot five times.

The video is from an officer who responded as gunfire erupted at the scene of the shooting.  It appears Few has at least one hand on the window of the car - seemingly with it up, almost surrendering, as gunfire erupts.  As the shooting subsides, the officer walks around the scene and finds Few injured and Mardis with a slight pulse but unresponsive in the front, passenger's seat.  Mardis is bloodied and limp.

For about two minutes, officers discuss rendering aid to the child and eventually put gloves on to try to keep him alive, but don't get to actually assist the child since an ambulance arrives.  

Throughout the video, the body camera picks up officers in the background cursing.  At one point, while talking with one of the officers involved in the shooting, one of the marshals is heard saying, "I never saw a kid."

Following the shooting in November 2015, State Police Col. Mike Edmonson watched the body camera footage and called it disturbing.  

Both officers charged in connection with the case are free on bond.  

Authorities said the officer who is wearing the body camera did not fire his weapon. 

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Follow the publisher of this post on Twitter: @treyschmaltz

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