ATLANTA — The Atlanta Police Department released body camera video Friday night from a shooting where an officer injured a 21-year-old while responding to a domestic dispute.
The shooting unfolded on July 27 on Peachtree St. NW just before 7:30 p.m. APD said early on during the investigation that officers went to the scene and talked with the 911 caller who said she had been in a physical fight with her partner.
In a video clip APD released, officers talk to the woman and ask her about her injuries to see if she needs medical attention.
APD noted in its video that they learned during the investigation that the suspect had left the scene.
The edited video clip APD provided then picks up with police in a car canvassing the area. Once the officer locates the suspect, he hops out of the car and chases after him.
Officer: Where're you going?
APD said the suspect, who had a firearm, ignored the officer's commands and engaged police in gunfire. The police department added in the statement that the officer returned fire during the exchange.
In the video, while the officer runs, you can hear the apparent gunfire.
Officer: Shots fired! Shots fired! He just shot at me, he just shot at me.
The responding officer continued the pursuit after letting dispatch know what happened.
More shots rang out.
Officer: He's shooting at me!
The responding officer let dispatch know the suspect went behind a building.
Someone on the officer's radio asked him his location, and told them he was behind the building. You can hear yelling on the radio. Once the officer turns the corner he sees the suspect.
Officer: Put your [expletive] hands up! Get on the ground! Get on the ground.
The suspect then complies.
Officer: I got him. I got him. I got him. Get on the ground! don't you move. Put your hands behind your back.
When the officer reaches to put the man's hand behind his back, there appears to be blood on his arm. He puts the man in handcuffs.
The responding officer shares on his radio that the man was injured. As the officer walks with the suspect, the suspect tells police he's "going out" and that he couldn't breathe; the suspect paused and started lying on the ground. Other officers at the scene check the man out as they wait for EMS to arrive.
APD said a gun was recovered; the suspect was also taken to the hospital for treatment.
APD Chief Darin Schierbaum commented on the shooting and the seriousness of domestic violence cases in a video message.
"I've saw a very disturbing trend this year in Atlanta," he said. "Last year, this moment, five individuals had lost their life in a domestic-motivated homicide. As I come to you today, 13 individuals in Atlanta, Ga. have lost their life in a domestic violence homicide."
Schierbaum said the anger that's at the core of domestic violence hit close to home for APD last weekend, as he referenced this shooting. He said the woman's ex-boyfriend had forced his way into the apartment, injuring her. The GBI previously said officers observed bruises on her chest and head.
"The anger that had been present in that apartment, was now present on Peachtree Street," the chief said, as he described the exchange of gunfire with the responding officer.
Schierbaum asked residents in his video to help officers stop domestic violence by learning the signs of abuse.