San Bernardino police have released two videos showing the shooting of Mark Matthew Bender Jr., a California man they say pulled a loaded, stolen firearm from his pocket before the officer opened fire.
All the same, the shooting death and videos are speaking outrage from Black Lives Matter and protests in San Bernardino. The officer has not been named. Police also released 911 audio showing a caller reported that Bender was armed and jumping on cars. They further detailed Bender’s felony criminal arrest history for things like narcotics, domestic violence, and gun-related offenses. He was not legally supposed to possess the firearm, police said in a news release.
You can watch both videos from the October 22 shooting below but be aware that they are disturbing to watch.
Here’s what you need to know:
The Videos Show the Officer in a Physical Confrontation With Bender Before He Opened Fire
The two videos are a body cam video, which you can watch above, and a citizen video, which you can watch below. The second video shows the actual shooting, so beware that it’s graphic.
In a press release, police explained that the officer received a call to go to a convenience store because a 911 caller said the armed suspect was “jumping on cars.”
The responding officer “identified himself and ordered the suspect to show his hands,” said police. “The suspect clearly ignored the officer and walked away from him, saying he was going to the store. The officer noticed several patrons and employees inside the convenience store and attempted to detain the suspect before he entered, to prevent him from harming anyone inside.”
Police Released Photos of a Gun They Say They Found at the Scene
Screenshots from police.
According to the police press release, “the considerably larger suspect was uncooperative and difficult for the officer to subdue. The officer wrapped his arms around the suspect and took him to the ground, but the suspect was strong enough to begin getting up even with the officers weight on him. The suspect reached under his t-shirt and pulled a black handgun from his front right pocket.”
The officer “noticed the suspect had a black handgun in his right hand and he immediately disengaged the suspect for his safety.”
The police news release continued: “The suspect remained uncooperative and was able to gain a standing position before he began turning toward the officer and bystanders with the gun still in his hand. The officer fired four rounds from his department-issued duty weapon striking the suspect multiple times. The suspect’s loaded handgun was recovered from the scene.”
Bender succumbed to his injuries at an area hospital.
In Facebook, Black Lives Matter IE wrote that Bender ‘was murdered” and claimed the officer “uses deadly force without provocation.” In a second post, the site claimed the death was “without provocation or justification,” calling the officer’s use of force “completely unreasonable and unnecessary.”
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