Body camera footage shows encounter before Akron officer fatally shoots man in vehicle believed stolen

The Akron Police Department released body camera footage and surveillance video Saturday showing the fatal officer shooting of a man suspected of stealing a U-Haul box truck in Ohio earlier this month.

The footage shows the moments leading up to the Aug. 17 death of Michael Jones, 54, including his attempted arrest, and the moments immediately after. Police released body camera footage from two officers on scene and surveillance video from the gas station where the shooting took place.

Jones was shot by an Akron police veteran who has been at the department for 2½ years. The officer involved has been placed on paid administrative leave, per departmental procedure, police said.

Police have not publicly identified the officer.

Officers were at the gas station at about 1 a.m. investigating a stolen vehicle, which they had seen in the parking lot of the gas station, according to the initial news release about the shooting.

In the first of the two body camera videos released Saturday, an officer can be seen approaching Jones in the driver's seat of a U-Haul at a gas station. The officer knocks on and then opens the driver's side door.

The officer repeatedly asks Jones to step out of the vehicle and tells Jones he is under arrest. After unbuckling his seatbelt, Jones asks, "for what?"

When Jones didn't immediately get out of the truck, the officer tries to grab him and yank him out while a struggle ensues. The footage then appears to show the truck driving away while the officer hangs out the open driver's side door.

The officer warns "you're about to get f------ shot," as Jones continues to drive before firing twice at Jones' side. Jones' head then falls back and his arms raise in the air before he slumps to his side, the video shows.

Jones is dragged out of the car by the officers who then handcuff him, the video shows.

In the initial news release from police about the shooting, officials said the officers "immediately administered emergency first aid, which included applying at least one chest seal," and that Jones was pronounced dead a the scene "a short time later."

The body camera footage shows one of the officers walk away to retrieve the medical kit from their vehicle about 55 seconds after the first shot was fired. That officer then called for EMS about 10 seconds later — more than a minute after Jones was shot.

Police also said in the initial release that a loaded firearm was recovered from inside the U-Haul. The firearm was shown in the body camera footage, but police clarified in an updated release Saturday that "an officer found the firearm on or near Mr. Jones after he was removed from the vehicle" and not inside the vehicle.

Akron police also said the department received two 911 calls in the moments after the shooting. The department said one of the callers described events that appeared to be consistent with those seen in the body camera footage.

"The other caller, an unidentified woman, alleged during the call that Mr. Jones was shot while handcuffed," Akron police said. "The later caller's claims are inconsistent with the body camera footage, and the shooting of Mr. Jones occurred inside the vehicle. He was not handcuffed at the time."

The Bureau of Criminal Investigations is conducting the investigation. Akron police said the agency also responded to the scene. When the investigation is complete, the case will be turned over to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office for review before being submitted to the Summit County Grand Jury for evaluation.

The Office of Professional Standards and Accountability is also conducting a separate internal investigation, the police department said. Results will be reviewed by the police chief and the city of Akron police auditor.

Akron Mayor Shammas Malik said in a statement Saturday that his heart goes out to Jones' family.

"While it is never easy to watch someone's last moments, I believe it is important that our community has a clear picture of what we know so far," Malik said. "I am committed to making sure our community continues to have robust, open conversations about public safety, in order to strengthen a collective sense of safety in Akron."

Bobby DiCello, the attorney representing Jones' children, did not immediately reply to a request for comment from NBC News.

In a statement shared with NBC News affiliate WKYC of Cleveland, DiCello said Jones' children were "devastated by what they saw." He said it appears officers used an electric gun on Jones and shot him, which caused him to lose control of the truck.

Jones' children "struggle to understand why the officers leapt into the truck, why they then tased him, and why they shot him, especially when Michael made no threats toward them of any kind," the statement said.

"Michael's children are committed to getting justice for Michael, and they urge the City of Akron to hold the officers accountable," DiCello said in the statement.