Court orders release of dash cam showing police shoot armed man 40+ times (VIDEO)

New Jersey authorities released a dashboard camera video from March 2014 showing the deadly police shooting of an armed suspect days after the state’s high court ruled such videos should be made public, the Associated Press reported.

The court ruled in favor of North Jersey Media Group, which argued the footage can “inform the public’s strong interest” in the fatal police shooting without “undermining the integrity of an investigation.” The group requested the video for a police use-of-force report.

For more than eleven minutes, the video shows officers chase a black SUV driven by 27-year-old Antoquan Watson outside the Atlantic City area.

“Be advised, he just brandished a weapon out the window,” an officer can be heard telling dispatchers in the video. Seconds later, Watson drove through a red light at a busy intersection, attempting to thread the needle through moving cars. A maroon SUV clipped the back left bumper of Watson’s vehicle, causing his car to spin around and face officers, who stopped their squads and yelled at him to put his hands up.

Watson exited his vehicle, which was still in gear, and walked towards officers with a gun pointed at them as his SUV drifted into the adjacent lane. He opened fire on the officers, taking 13 steps in their direction as they fired back. His SUV, with the driver’s side door ajar, gently bumped into another vehicle just moments before he fell to the ground.

Sirens blaring, people can be seen running away on the sidewalk as officers continue to fire dozens of rounds at Watson, his body flinching with each impact before it becomes still. When the gunfire ends, shouting continues, as several officers come into frame with their guns drawn. One officer handcuffs Watson, and two other officers shake hands to celebrate. Watson died from his injuries.

Seven officers opened fire on Watson that day — four from Pleasantville and three from Atlantic City — striking him with more than 40 rounds. A grand jury reviewed the incident and determined their use of force was justified.

Source: Guns