LA County Sheriff's Department releases bodycam footage of deadly deputy-involved shooting in Willowbrook
The L.A. County Sheriff's Department released bodycam video of a deputy fatally shooting an armed man in Willowbrook earlier this month.
WILLOWBROOK, Calif. (KABC) -- The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department on Friday released bodycam video of a deputy fatally shooting a 25-year-old man armed with a gun in Willowbrook.
The bodycam footage from earlier this month shows the man, identified as Fred Williams III, on top of a shed with a gun in his hand. A deputy who chased Williams approaches him and shoots after Williams jumped toward another property.
The L.A. County Sheriff's Department claims Williams pointed a gun at the deputy, but that allegation is not clear in the footage.
Authorities say a handgun was found at the scene.
Bodycam footage was released alongside surveillance video that shows Williams running down a driveway and into the backyard before he gets on top of the shed.
LASD said the foot pursuit began when deputies were on patrol in the Mona Park area on Oct. 16. They saw a group of about 15 people when Williams allegedly put a handgun into his waistband and ran away.
One deputy pursued him on foot and another deputy followed in a patrol car, according to the sheriff's department.
Photos released by the sheriff's department shows Williams with a handgun at his waist as he runs through the yard of a residence in the 2200 block of East 122nd Street.
On the footage, the deputy, who at the time did not know if Williams was struck by gunfire, broadcasts on his emergency radio that the suspect jumped into another yard, and the deputy says he "pointed (firearm) at me."
Williams was pronounced dead at the scene.
Deputies recovered a loaded pistol, which the department said is not registered to Williams, who was on parole and prohibited from owning a firearm. He had been convicted three times of burglary, the sheriff's department reported.
In the aftermath of the shooting, civil rights activists called for the release of the bodycam video and the Williams family joined protesters in demanding transparency from the sheriff's department.
The sheriff's department recently began deploying bodycams to its deputies in the field.
City News Service contributed to this report.
