Video: NY Chase Suspect Opens Fire on 3 Officers, They Fire Back

Warning: Disturbing footage

Police in Rochester, New York, released footage of an officer-involved shooting on Aug. 20, and the local attorney general’s office said police used reasonable force when shooting and killing the man.

Douglas Heath, 38, was shot up to 15 times after he pulled a stolen semi-automatic pistol on officers and opened fire, according to the Union Leader newspaper.

Senior Assistant Attorney General Peter Hinckley said on Oct. 4 that Heath crashed after a police pursuit. “The posted speed limit for this area is 35 miles per hour,” Hinckley said, adding that Heath was doing about 70 mph.

Trooper Haden Wilber, Rochester Police Officer Michael Lambert, and Trooper Nathaniel Goodwin arrived at the crash.

“Mr. Heath left the SUV through the front passenger door and he fell to the ground. Mr. Heath held in his left hand a loaded semi-automatic pistol. Within seconds of Mr. Heath getting out of that crashed SUV, and despite commands from Officer Lambert to drop his weapon, Mr. Heath pulled back on the slide of the pistol that he held,” Hinckley said, according to the paper.

“The entirety of the encounter between law enforcement and Mr. Heath, from his exiting the SUV to the final gunshot, is about 15 seconds,” he said, WMUR reported.

The incident was captured via three videos, which were released by the Rochester Police Department.

In the video, Heath can be seen tumbling and rolling out of his vehicle with a pistol in hand.

The local attorney general’s office said police used reasonable force after killing the man. (Rochester Police Department)

Heath then opened fire. In the clip, his pistol can be seen pointing in the direction of Lambert, Goodwin, and a private citizen, according to the paper.

“About a second after Mr. Heath fires his pistol a second time, he draws his left arm across his chest again, pointing his gun in the direction of Officer Lambert, Trooper Goodwin, and at least one private citizen,” Hinckley said, WMUR reported. “Mr. Heath fires another shot, his third, and only at this time, multiple shots begin being fired at Mr. Heath.”

Lambert, Goodwin, and Wilber opened fire after a third shot fired by Heath hit the roof of a pickup truck.

Skyeann Sullivan of Rochester said she knew Heath, saying that he began using drugs. “I just want everybody to realize that’s what drugs do to you. He wasn’t like that beforehand. And even on drugs, he was still a nice person. He just didn’t know what to do with himself anymore,” Sullivan said, the paper reported.

Traffic Stops Are Dangerous for Police

In recent weeks, there have been several dramatic instances of police getting involved in shootouts or getting into dangerous situations with suspects during traffic stops.

The National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund (pdf) said traffic stops are notoriously dangerous for police officers in the United States. The leading causes for officers being shot and killed in 2017 occurred when they were responding to domestic incidents and while conducting traffic stops, the group’s annual report states.

And, according to the most recent figures published by the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, “A greater percentage of male drivers (12 percent) than female drivers (8 percent) were stopped by police during 2011.” It adds: “In 2011, about 3 percent of traffic stops led to a search of the driver, the vehicle, or both. Police were more likely to search male drivers (4 percent) than female drivers (2 percent).”