WASHINGTON — One week after a man experiencing a mental health crisis was shot and killed by a DC police officer, authorities released the bodycam footage.
The video from Officer Claude Jackson’s camera captured him firing his gun six times at 41-year-old Clifford Brooks on North Capitol Street near New York Avenue before 9:30 a.m. last Wednesday. In the video, Brooks could be seen running towards Jackson with an object in his hand. Police said it appeared the item was a metal tire gauge.
Brooks lay on the ground for about three more minutes before medics arrived.
“I thought it was a knife,” Jackson told another officer.
“Suspect came up from under the truck with an edged weapon, zero close proximity with less than 21 feet, had no other option but to use force,” Jackson told dispatch during the video. “As I was retreating, he was advancing towards me and grab me.”
D.C. Police say Brooks was in an ambulance on his way to a hospital after a mental health crisis episode on North Benning Road earlier in the morning. It took about two hours to de-escalate the situation before Jackson and other officers got him into an ambulance.
On the way to the hospital, Executive Assistant Chief Jeff Carroll said Brooks became combative and pinned the medic inside the ambulance. When Brooks jumped out of the ambulance, Jackson, who was following behind the ambulance, could be seen trying to stop him using pepper spray. When it didn’t work, police said Brooks went underneath a truck stuck in traffic.
Carroll said not only did he lunge after another officer moments earlier, but he also refused commands to drop what was in his hand.
“The officer does also have to make sure he protects himself and the community that's out there so it's a very difficult situation and the goal is to always deescalate and to safely get the person the help that they need,” Carroll said in a press conference.
Carroll said Jackson, who remains on administrative leave, also has at least 120 hours of training in crisis intervention and negotiation, hence, why he was called to the first scene.
He said the department will review the de-escalation policy and determine if more steps could’ve been taken to mitigate the situation.
WUSA9 learned none of the officers on the scene carried a taser.
Currently, mainly sergeants and some field officers have tasers. Carroll said the department has increased how many officers are using a taser.
“Each one of those rounds will be evaluated and a determination will be made,” he added. “It did happen in a very short period of time. The individual was approaching very quickly and was coming towards him in a slashing manner.”
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