Body Camera Video Released in Oregon Police Shooting in Carl’s Jr. Bathroom

Warning: Disturbing footage

Officials released body camera footage in the fatal shooting of a man inside a Carl’s Jr. location in Eagle Point, Oregon, this week.

Matthew Graves, 33, was shot by Eagle Point officer Daniel Cardenas during a scuffle inside the bathroom. According to OregonLive, the shooting was deemed justified by the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office, which released the footage to the public on Oct. 25.

Cardenas told a grand jury that he stopped Graves while he was traveling in his patrol car on Oregon 62 around 8:45 p.m. in September. He was forced to brake after Graves stepped into the street against a traffic light. Cardenas then followed Graves to the Carl’s Jr. because he wanted to tell him that it’s dangerous to jaywalk, according to the OregonLive report, citing District Attorney Beth Heckert.

The report said Cardenas also suspected Graves may have had an active warrant for his arrest.

Graves’s father told jurors that his son was diagnosed with schizophrenia and hadn’t been taking medication for several years.

Officers testified that Cardenas first used a Taser on Graves, but it had little effect. The body camera footage shows this, and Graves can be seen walking around and talking after being shot with the stun-gun.

Graves managed to grab Cardenas’ Taser and shot another officer, Clarence Davis, with it, the officers told the grand jury. Davis mistook the Taser that Graves had for a gun, Heckert said.

Video footage shows Cardenas telling Graves to get down on the ground several times. Graves then tried to walk past the officer, but Cardenas then pushes him back.

“You touch me again and you’re gone,” Graves says to Cardenas. “Touch me again and see what (expletive) happens,” Cardenas replies.

After Graves tried to get past him, Cardenas hits him with a Taser and tells him to get down five more times.

Davis then went into the bathroom and a fight ensues between the three. According to OregonLive, Davis says there was a gun before Cardenas drew his gun and fired.

Cardenas then reported the shooting to emergency responders.

Both officers then shouted at Graves to stay conscious, and Cardenas puts a handcuff on one of his wrists.

Southern Oregon University criminal justice professor Tiffany Morey told KVAL that even with body camera video, what the public can see might be different than what the officer feels in the moment.

“When it goes to grand jury to see if it was a justified shooting, it is what that officer was experiencing at that time. What did the officer see? What did the officer feel? Did the officer feel that their life, or possibly one of the citizens that they’re protecting’s life was at jeopardy,” said Morey.