D.C. police released body camera footage Thursday showing the moments that led up to the fatal shooting of 33-year-old Arthur Porter by police.
The shooting happened Oct. 19 just before 5 p.m. in the 2800 Block of Gainesville Street Southeast. Police said they were responding to a report of a man with a gun shouting at two other people.
In the video, posted on MPD’s Community Briefing YouTube page, you can see an officer approach Porter before he runs away.
“During the foot pursuit ‘involved officer one’ broadcast the individual’s description, location and that the individual had a gun in their pocket,” said Assistant Chief Leslie Parsons of D.C. police’s Homeland Security Bureau. “Involved officer one then ordered the individual not to pull the gun out. Immediately following the command of involved officer one, the individual turned towards the officers and raised a semi-automatic handgun.”
Police said then, as rounds were discharged between that same officer, another officer was hit and fell to the ground while Porter ran between two buildings.
Another officer, described as “involved officer two” arrived as backup on the other side of the buildings and reportedly saw Porter raise his gun. That’s when the officer shot multiple times, hitting Porter, who later was pronounced dead at the hospital.
According to police, Porter’s semi-automatic gun was found at the scene.
“When you see the video, you will see the involved individual’s weapon that was recovered with the slide lock to the rear, which is indicative of a gun that has been fired until it ran out of ammunition,” Parsons said.
The witness officer who was shot in a “noncritical area toward the midline to back” was taken to the hospital and was released the following day. Another officer was also injured during the chase, but the video raises questions as to whether the officer was shot by Porter or friendly fire.
“These officers, they’re doing exactly what we want them to do. They’re out in the community, they’re being visible, they’re being present. And they’re running towards danger. I mean, these officers every day … you have the sounds of gunshots, and you see officers running towards that,” said Parsons.
The shooting is under review by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Once completed, the case will be investigated by the force investigation team of D.C. police’s internal affairs bureau.
