Editor’s note: The footage included in this story is graphic and may disturb some viewers.
Newly released body camera footage gives more details about the shooting of a man who was armed with a grill fork and allegedly threatening his neighbors in Montgomery County, Maryland last month. The responding police officer shot the intoxicated man several times after yelling, “Drop the knife” nearly 10 times.
During a recording of a 911 call released with the video footage on Monday, a woman told dispatchers a drunk neighbor was arguing and attempting to fight her husband at their home on Janet Road in Silver Spring around 7:50 p.m. on Sept. 21.
“There’s a gentleman drunk outside, and he wants to argue and he wants to fight with my husband and everybody that is here,” the woman told the dispatcher.
She eventually yelled that the suspect had something in his hand.
Montgomery County police officer Cody Hobbs responded. Body camera footage shows Melvin Chavez standing by a house when Hobbs shined his flashlight on him.
Chaves then begins crossing the street toward the officer and other neighbors with something long clutched in his hand, partially blocked by his forearm.
Hobbs yelled, “Drop the knife” nine times and gave other commands such as, “Put the knife on the ground” all while pointing his service weapon at Chavez, footage shows.
As Chavez got closer to the neighbors, Hobbs fired several times. Police began rendering emergency aid but Chavez died at the scene.
A large grill fork was recovered from near Chavez’s body.
The Office of the Attorney General Independent Investigations Division and the Maryland State Police will continue to investigate the shooting.
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