Marcellis Stinnette: Police Shooting Footage Released
On October 20, 19-year-old Marcellis Stinnette was fatally shot and his 20-year-old girlfriend Tafara Williams was injured during a traffic stop by Waukegan, Illinois police. Footage has now been released.
The footage appears to show the initial reaction with police.
“What’s your first name? You’re Marcellis, right?” an officer is heard saying. According to CBS, this is not the officer who killed Marceliis.
The officer continues, “You’re under arrest, man.”
Williams asks why and the officer replies, “Because I said.”
The officer is heard saying, “Hey, come on, show me the hands, pal. I ain’t playing with you because I know you. Marcellis, you’re under arrest.”
The officer says Stinnette has a warrant out for his arrest and after some back and forth Williams drives off. When police catch up with them, they are accused of trying to run over an officer with their car. Soon after, approximately seven shots are fired, which is heard on the dash cam. The officer’s body cam was not on.
Attorney Benjamin Crump, who is representing the family, said at a press conference on October 28, ‘Why are we putting all this money for body cam video so we can have transparency if the officers aren’t using the body cameras?”
Watch the news clip below:
The officer, who has yet to be identified, is said to be Latino and has worked for the Waukegan Police Department for the last five years. Police claim he shot Stinnette and Williams because he was "in fear for his safety."
No weapon was recovered from the vehicle, and the officer who shot and killed Stinnette has been fired. Williams and her family however are still confused as to why the couple was ever approached in the first place.
The FBI is reportedly involved in the investigation.
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