LASD releases bodycam video after deputy shoots man who attacked her near Macy's at Valencia mall
The person who called 911 reported a "transient" who was sleeping in front of a mall entrance and was refusing to leave.
VALENCIA, Calif. (KABC) -- The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has released body camera video showing the moments that led up to a shooting in Valencia that left a suspect dead.
The shooting happened on Jan. 11 outside the Macy's department store in the Westfield Valencia Town Center.
Deputies had responded to the scene regarding a call about a trespasser.
In the full video of the incident, posted on LASD's YouTube page on Tuesday, the person who called 911 reported a "transient" who was sleeping in front of a mall entrance and was refusing to leave.
"We tried talking to him ... he does not want to leave at all. He just basically wants to start a fight whenever we go up to him," said the 911 caller. "Whenever we try to talk to him, he gets really irate."
Surveillance footage shows the suspect, identified as 50-year-old Christopher Lee Mercurio, sitting near the entrance.
The deputy approaches Mercurio and the two talk for a few minutes.
In the bodycam footage, which includes audio of their interaction, the deputy attempts to explain to Mercurio why she was called.
She's interrupted by Mercurio, who is heard saying, "Yeah. I'm not going to move at all, I will actually kill every f***** that comes here."
The sheriff's department said that's when Mercurio punched the deputy in her face and head. She begins to call for help, saying "I'm in a fight! I'm in a fight!"
The deputy appeared to have shot at Mercurio twice, striking him at least once in the chest. He then walks back to his sleeping bag and collapses.
Mercurio was sent to a hospital that night but later died. The deputy was also treated and released.
In the video, another responding deputy is heard saying Mercurio didn't have a gun.
"I don't see anything on him. I checked."
The California Department of Justice is still investigating the shooting.
"The DOJ will submit its findings to the attorney general's office for review as to the legality of the use of force," LASD said.
NOTE: The full bodycam video can be found on LASD's YouTube channel. Viewer discretion is advised.
