A video was posted on social media Friday afternoon that appears to show a deadly use of force encounter between a police officer and an unidentified man in Orange County, California. It is perhaps the most clear footage of a police killing that has ever been circulated in the public.
Based off the reactions on social media, it is clear the court of public opinion is already in full swing. The footage is in high-definition, and clearly shows the altercation which results in a man being shot multiple times.
The footage, like most of police use of force incidents, only starts rolling once the fight is on. The officer is on top of unidentified man, when suddenly the officer dismounts, draws his pistol and backs away. The video appears to show the man with an object in his hand. The police officer then fires what sounds like seven shots based off the audio of the video.
After taking what appears to be multiple rounds, the man remains on his feet even after the last shot is fired, but eventually teeters backwards and falls over, appearing to be unconscious or dead.
Based off reactions on social media, some typical reactions are already presenting themselves: “The officer was in no danger,” “The man did not have a gun,” “the officer was so far away from the man.”
What the video perhaps shows most clearly is that guns are not death rays. They do not immediately throw someone off their feet into the air, like so many thousands of movies have conditioned us to believe. The officer fired seven times from what looks like inside of 10 feet. It stands to reason that few, if any, of those shots missed their target. The man being shot reacts as though he is being hit very clearly as the shots are going off. But, none of those reactions result in the man dropping whatever is in his hand, and none of the shots result in the man being thrown off his feet.
If what is in the man’s hand is indeed a weapon, he never once lost positive control of it, even after being shot.
A video was posted on social media Friday afternoon that appears to show a deadly use of force encounter between a police officer and an unidentified man in Orange County, California. It is perhaps the most clear footage of a police killing that has ever been circulated in the public.
Based off the reactions on social media, it is clear the court of public opinion is already in full swing. The footage is in high-definition, and clearly shows the altercation which results in a man being shot multiple times.
The footage, like most of police use of force incidents, only starts rolling once the fight is on. The officer is on top of unidentified man, when suddenly the officer dismounts, draws his pistol and backs away. The video appears to show the man with an object in his hand. The police officer then fires what sounds like seven shots based off the audio of the video.
After taking what appears to be multiple rounds, the man remains on his feet even after the last shot is fired, but eventually teeters backwards and falls over, appearing to be unconscious or dead.
Based off reactions on social media, some typical reactions are already presenting themselves: “The officer was in no danger,” “The man did not have a gun,” “the officer was so far away from the man.”
What the video perhaps shows most clearly is that guns are not death rays. They do not immediately throw someone off their feet into the air, like so many thousands of movies have conditioned us to believe. The officer fired seven times from what looks like inside of 10 feet. It stands to reason that few, if any, of those shots missed their target. The man being shot reacts as though he is being hit very clearly as the shots are going off. But, none of those reactions result in the man dropping whatever is in his hand, and none of the shots result in the man being thrown off his feet.
If what is in the man’s hand is indeed a weapon, he never once lost positive control of it, even after being shot.
Time will tell if the officer made the right decision. Ideally this video will serve to show people what it actually looks like when a human being is shot, and that it takes multiple shots to put someone down in a fight.
Featured image courtesy of YouTube
As someone who’s seen what happens when the truth is distorted, I know how unfair it feels when those who’ve sacrificed the most lose their voice. At SOFREP, our veteran journalists, who once fought for freedom, now fight to bring you unfiltered, real-world intel. But without your support, we risk losing this vital source of truth. By subscribing, you’re not just leveling the playing field—you’re standing with those who’ve already given so much, ensuring they continue to serve by delivering stories that matter. Every subscription means we can hire more veterans and keep their hard-earned knowledge in the fight. Don’t let their voices be silenced. Please consider subscribing now.
One team, one fight,
Brandon Webb former Navy SEAL, Bestselling Author and Editor-in-Chief
Barrett is the world leader in long-range, large-caliber, precision rifle design and manufacturing. Barrett products are used by civilians, sport shooters, law enforcement agencies, the United States military, and more than 75 State Department-approved countries around the world.
PO Box 1077 MURFREESBORO, Tennessee 37133 United States
Scrubba Wash Bag
Our ultra-portable washing machine makes your journey easier. This convenient, pocket-sized travel companion allows you to travel lighter while helping you save money, time and water.
Our roots in shooting sports started off back in 1996 with our founder and CEO, Josh Ungier. His love of airguns took hold of our company from day one and we became the first e-commerce retailer dedicated to airguns, optics, ammo, and accessories. Over the next 25 years, customers turned to us for our unmatched product selection, great advice, education, and continued support of the sport and airgun industry.
COMMENTS
There are on this article.
You must become a subscriber or login to view or post comments on this article.