St. Paul Police released police body camera videos during a Friday afternoon press conference showing the fatal shooting of an armed 43-year-old man by two of the department’s officers.
Police Chief Todd Axtell called the Aug. 5 shooting “absolutely heart wrenching for all involved.”
Axtell said he balanced his “duty and obligation” to the active investigation into the fatal shooting with “wide-spread rumor” about the shooting. He said he hoped releasing the video would dispel rumors and provide facts to the larger community, provide transparency and keep his officers safe.
“This is just a tragedy for all,” Axtell said.
Officers Matthew Jones and Vincent Adams, both on the force since 2013, shot William “Billy” Hughes when they confronted him on an enclosed porch of a home in the city’s Summit-University neighborhood. The officers were answering a 911 call of multiple shots being fired at the house.
The two body cam videos show each officer walking up to the first floor of the two-story home, with their guns drawn and flashlights shining into the porch.
On Adams’ body cam video, he can be heard knocking on the door. The officers don’t identify themselves or say police at that point.
A voice inside can be heard saying: “I will kill you …” on the video.
Hughes opens the interior door and the officers say “Police, hands up.”
Hughes steps onto the porch and turns and faces the officers. Both officers can be heard yelling: “Put your hands up, Put your hands up.” A gun can be seen in Hughes’ right hand. He then can be seen raising his right hand up.
Axtell said during the press conference that “Mr. Hughes raised the gun in a sweeping fashion over the officers.”
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