Bodycam clip shows 17-year-old girl armed with knife apologizing after getting shot at three times by police
A 17-year-old California girl, who was shot three times by a police officer, was recorded apologizing to the officer as he administered first aid to her. The teen, who has not been identified, was shot after she taunted the officer with a knife and ran at him with it. The entire incident was recorded in the officer's body cam footage.
Oxnard Police Chief Scott Whitney released the bodycam footage of the incident, which occurred on May 3, stating that the clip was being released for informative purposes.
The footage shows an officer responding to reports of a Hispanic girl in a red shirt, blue shorts and sneakers causing a disturbance behind a Carl Jr's fast food restaurant on North Rose Avenue. The emergency services told the officer that the girl was armed with a 12-inch kitchen knife, which was in her pocket.
Officer Timothy Roberts, in the footage, can be seen warning the girl to not reach for the weapon. The girl then taunts the officer, asking: "Why, what happens if I reach for it?"
Roberts responds to her question, saying: "Then something bad is going to happen."
The officer's body camera then records him backing away from the teen in a parking lot where he orders her to drop the knife. The girl, however, refuses to drop the weapon and keeps walking toward him.
"Come on, shoot me," she tells the officer who is standing at a distance from the girl pointing his firearm at her. "I've been waiting all day," she adds.
The officer then orders her to drop the weapon again and the girl responds with a "No."
The teen then pauses for a moment and then abruptly begins to run toward Roberts with the knife in her right hand. It is then when the officer shoots her multiple times and she falls to the ground.
Moments later the officer approaches her, shoves the knife away from her and begins providing medical aid to her as they wait for the ambulance. Another officer present there counts three bullet wounds on the girl's body, including one on her chest and thigh.
The teen can be seen panting and writhing on the pavement as she says: "I'm sorry." To which the officer responds with: "It's okay."
Officials said that the girl is reportedly hospitalized and continues to be in critical but stable condition. Police Chief Whitney said that the shooting is currently under investigation.
In accordance with policy, Roberts was placed on administrative leave. The officer has worked for the Oxnard Police Department since 2015.