California Police Show Videos of Fatal Shooting of Black Man

|Updated:

EL CAJON, Calif.—Police released two videos Friday showing an officer fatally shooting an unarmed black man in a San Diego suburb and said they hoped showing the footage would ease escalating tensions.

The videos show the officer fired four times at close range almost immediately after Alfred Olango, 38, suddenly raised both hands to chest level and took what was described as a shooting stance.

The shots came less than a minute after police arrived at the scene in response to Olango’s sister calling 911 and reporting he was acting erratically.

The videos were released after three nights of unruly and, at times, violent protests in El Cajon, and on the eve of a demonstration organized by clergy and supporters of Olango’s family, who had pressured authorities to show the footage of the fatal encounter. On Thursday night, an officer was struck in the head by a brick hurled by a protester.

“Our only concern at this point was community safety,” police Chief Jeff Davis said. “We felt that the aggression of some—some—of the protesters was escalating to the point where it was necessary to release some information and truly, it was my hope to relieve some of that concern.”

Authorities watch a video of the shooting scene at a news conference in El Cajon, Calif., on Sept. 30, 2016, held to address the killing of Alfred Olango, a Ugandan refugee shot by an El Cajon police officer on Tuesday. The El Cajon police department released video footage of the shooting at the news conference. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
Authorities watch a video of the shooting scene at a news conference in El Cajon, Calif., on Sept. 30, 2016, held to address the killing of Alfred Olango, a Ugandan refugee shot by an El Cajon police officer on Tuesday. The El Cajon police department released video footage of the shooting at the news conference. AP Photo/Denis Poroy