Columbus, Ohio, U.S — Police bodyworn camera footage, released by The Columbus Division of Police, shows the moment when a gunfight erupted in the A&E department of a Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, on 12th April 2021 at approximately 12:11 hours.
27-year-old Miles Jackson had been found by officers asleep on a bench outside of a bank. Some checks on Jackson revealed that he was wanted by the police.
The officers dealing with Jackson requested an emergency ambulance’s assistance after it transpired that Jackson was relapsing following a suspected drug overdose.
Jackson was wanted for an open domestic violence warrant as well as assault, falsification, resisting arrest, drug possession, and weapons under disability.
Officers from Westerville Police Department escorted Jackson to a local hospital.
They informed Columbus Police Officers Ryan Krichbaum and Andrew Howe that one of their department’s wanted suspects was in the A&E Department at St. Ann’s hospital.
When officers Ryan Krichbaum and Andrew Howe arrived at the A&E department, they started to engage with Jackson, who was cuffed to the hospital bed.
After a short exchange of words, one of the officers took the cuffs of Jackson so that he could be searched.
During the search, officers found several bank cards in different peoples names and a bullet in one of Jackson’s pockets.
After finding the bullet, the officers immediately raised their levels of situational awareness as the search continued.
Jackson can be heard asking if the officers if he can go for a cigarette, but the officers declined his request.
As the officers continued to search Jackson, one of them spots a firearm on him. At this point in the video, Jackson is facing forward with the two officers behind him.
The officer who finds the weapon immediately lets his colleague know that Jackson has a gun on him.
At this point, the officers try to place Jackson in cuffs as one of them says: ‘get his arms behind his back right now’ as Jackson appears to resist.
The officers can be heard shouting: ‘stop, stop, stop’ as they struggle with Jackson.
One of the officers then asks one of the A&E staff to ‘get security’ as a taser is used on Jackson to subdue him.
After being tased, Jackson and the officers fall to the ground as one of the officers shouts: ‘it’s still in there, it’s still in there’.
One shot can be heard during the struggle, although it is not clear from the footage as to who fired the shot.
One of the officers then fires his gun, resulting in his service weapon becoming jammed as his colleague continues to struggle on the floor with Jackson.
The officer who struggles on the floor with Jackson can be heard shouting: ‘put the gun down’ as the officer who fired the shot continues to try and free his weapon after it became jammed.
At this point, the smoke from the discharged weapons sets off the fire alarm as the officer with the jammed weapon stays in the cubicle with Jackson.
The officer with the taser manages to retreat from the cubicle and provides cover for his colleague.
The officer in the cubicle with Jackson then manages to free his weapon as commands are given to Jackson to ‘drop the gun’.
As the officers continue to yell commands at Jackson to get his hands up, one of them can be heard to say: ‘he fired one shot [referring to Jackson] I don’t know how anyone didn’t get hit’.
This statement was directed towards one of the backup officers who arrived on the scene.
Officers continue to yell commands to Jackson to get both of his hands on the top of his head. It appears that although Jackson has one hand on his head, his other hand remains out of view.
After several minutes, one of the officers, positioned outside of the cubicle, fires another taser at Jackson.
After a second or two, a shot can be heard, resulting in the officers firing several rounds at Jackson.
Officers then secure Jackson before loading him onto the trolley that was already in the cubicle. He is then rushed to the trauma room.
The video then switches to the bodycam footage of another officer who rushes to the scene to back up her colleagues.
As she enters the area where the incident is unfolding, the officers say: ‘Be careful, he has already let off one round’.
The female officer’s footage shows Jackson lying on his right side, with his left arm up in the air.
One of the officers can be heard shouting: ‘Get your hand up; don’t do it’.
The officer then shouts: ‘Get your right hand on your head now’.
Jackson states: ‘If I move, y’all gonna shoot me’ to which one of the officers replies: ‘no, get your hand on your head’.
Another officer asks the female officer: ‘do you have a taser there’ to which she replies: ‘yep’. The male officer then says: ‘light his arse up’ [referring to the taser’s deployment on Jackson].
Several moments pass, during which officers continue to tell Jackson to raise his other hand. Jackson tells the officers that he is leaning on his hand that is out of the officer’s view.
Jackson then says: ‘I am putting the gun down’ as officers continue to yell commands at him. One of the officers can be heard saying: ‘let go of the gun and put your hands up’.
The female officer can be heard saying to one of her colleagues: ‘if you take my spot, then I’m gonna tase him.
After the taser is deployed, one of the officers shouts: ‘taser, taser’ seconds before another officer shouts: ‘gun’ after which one shot can be heard, before officers open fire.
A medical team member then enters the area and shouts: ‘let me help him now’. The officers shout: ‘hold on’ as one of them pulls the medic back.
Despite the best efforts of the medical staff, Jackson died at the scene.
An initial investigation by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation confirmed that Jackson was armed with a gun and fired shots.
The investigation continues.
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