Video shows Fresno cop shooting 15-year-old who reached for waistband. He had a BB gun
Video from a Fresno officer’s body-worn camera released Friday by the police department appears to show a 15-year-old reaching for his waistband while saying he has a BB gun before he was shot by an officer.
Police said the teen did not listen to commands from the police officer as he reached for the BB gun that looked like a Glock handgun — similar to what many cops carry — before he was shot by police about 10:30 a.m. July 30.
About 15 seconds pass between when the officer exited his cruiser and when he shot the teen, who has not been identified and was expected to recover, police said.
Police said an officer was already in the area of the neighborhood near Blackstone and Magill avenues when a passer-by told the officer they saw someone with a gun.
Video shows the teen was wearing a mask covering from his nose down his face and sunglasses as the officer tells him to stop and raise his hands. He was standing near a scooter.
The boy stutters as he says “It’s a ... It’s a BB ...” before the officer appears to fire two rounds, video shows.
The officer has not been named publicly, but police said he was a 28-year veteran.
Chief Paco Balderrama said on the day of the shooting it appeared the boy was hit twice, once in the arm and once in the body.
The shooting was the fourth time an officer has shot someone in Fresno so far this year.
This story was originally published August 18, 2023 at 11:55 AM.
