WASHINGTON — DC Police released new video Friday, showing an officer being kidnapped during an arrest attempt. The officer can be heard on camera pleading for the driver to stop, but his pleas go ignored, until the officer shoots the driver.
In a news conference following the bizarre encounter, Chief Robert Contee said patrolling officers were flagged down near the 700 block of Kennedy Street, NW by a person on the block who said that they witnessed a man chasing another person with a gun. The officers said they encountered an armed man, Natango Robinson, but he escaped into a nearby alleyway where he got into a dark-colored Jeep, Contee said. Officers followed closely behind, attempting to get Robinson out of the car in a violent struggle.
Bodycamera footage shows two officers roll out of the car when Robinson hit the gas pedal, while the other officer was effectively kidnapped in the back seat driving down two city blocks on Kennedy Street.
The officer's voice becomes increasingly desperate as he begs Robinson to "stop the car."
"Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop the car," the officer shouts. "Put it in park! Please put it in park!"
Seconds after Robinson can be seen continuing to drive during, the officer fires his gun into the suspect’s side.
Contee said that after shooting Robinson, the officer rolled out of the car, which was still going around 20 miles an hour. He was later treated for road rash along the side of his body.
Robinson drove himself to a nearby hospital and was treated for the gunshot wound. The 35-year-old man from Southeast was later arrested and charged with felony assault on a police officer while armed, kidnapping while armed, unlawful possession of a firearm, resisting arrest, fleeing a law enforcement officer, failure to obey, and reckless driving.
The officer was placed on administrative leave, pursuant to MPD policy.
"We're seeing too many guns in the streets of our city," Contee said. "Citizens did exactly what we ask them to do; they told a police officer that they saw an armed man chasing another individual down the street in the District of Columbia in broad daylight."
Contee says the officers stopped the situation from escalating to a tragedy.
“That behavior is unacceptable," the chief added. "Not far from here, there's a daycare center, you know if that person had fired off shots you know those bullets don't have any names on them, where would those bullets have gone."
WATCH: MPD's full bodycamera footage can be seen here. Graphic warning, the video does show the moment Robinson is shot in his side.
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