Newly released video footage combats a story told by police in a 2013 shooting case.
Keston Charles was arrested and sentenced to 18 months of probation 2013 after police fired 16 shots at him. Charles, who was 15 at the time, pleaded guilty to possessing a BB gun. According to the officers involved, Charles repeatedly aimed the weapon at them during the incident.
As it turns out, the gun was never shown during the engagement and Charles was actually retreating from police when they started firing. The newly released surveillance video shows that Charles’ back was to the police when the first shot was fired and had his arms surrendered during the shots thereafter.
Charles was hit three times and had to be put into a medically induced coma.
The footage marks an important turn in a lawsuit which has been filed by Charles’ family against the city of New York.
The shooting was previously ruled justified by the NYPD and neither officer involved have faced any repercussions in the matter.
