Little Rock Releases Video of Officer-Involved Shooting

(Anton Prado/Shutterstock)

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas—The Little Rock Police Department released footage Thursday, March 7, from a deadly officer-involved shooting which shows the officer on the hood of a car firing at least 15 times into the windshield.

Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott said the department, along with an outside marketing group, compiled dashcam footage, video from nearby businesses’ security cameras and radio traffic from the Feb. 22 incident.

Scott repeatedly asked the public to remain calm and trust in the due process.

WARNING: VIDEO CONTAINS GRAPHIC CONTENT:

Police said Starks was responding to a call after a detective confirmed the car Blackshire was driving was stolen.

In the video, almost immediately after Blackshire’s car backs into a space in a parking lot, a police SUV arrives with lights on and stops nearby. Starks then walks to the driver’s side window with his gun drawn and instructs Blackshire to get out of the car multiple times.

Blackshire refuses and asks, “What did I do?” and “What are you going to shoot me for?” Blackshire then begins to drive away slowly.

Starks is knocked by the car and fires into the windshield four times. Blackshire stops momentarily and Starks maneuvers in front of the vehicle, leaning on the hood.

When Blackshire continues to drive, Starks, who is on top of the hood, shoots at least 11 more times into the windshield. He stops shooting and gets off the car after a second officer, Michael Simpson, arrives and crashes into Blackshire’s vehicle.

After the car stops, Starks tells a female passenger to get on the ground. He handcuffs her and she says Blackshire had just picked her up and that he has a gun.

Officer Michael Simpson arrives at the scene and rams into Blackshire’s vehicle. (Screenshot/Video via AP)

The officers then radio for an ambulance.

In the video, Interim Chief of Police Wayne Bewley, who narrates parts of the footage, says Blackshire died at the scene. Police also said Starks sustained an unspecified injury to his right leg. Neither the passenger nor Simpson were hurt.

Bewley said the initial criminal investigation has been completed and the file has been handed to prosecutors to determine if charges will be filed. The administrative investigation is ongoing to determine if the officer’s actions were in compliance with department policy.

Scott added that the FBI contacted Little Rock police to conduct a civil rights review on behalf of the federal Department of Justice.

A spokesman for the Little Rock Police Department could not be reached for comment.

Scott, who is Little Rock’s first elected black mayor, said he “prayed” with the Blackshire family after they viewed the video earlier in the day.

By Hannah Grabenstein