Keith Olbermann
2014-03-26 04:52:04 UTC
The illegal camper shot by Albuquerque police this week was
turning away from officers when they fired at him, according to
video released by Chief Gorden Eden on Friday.
The shots come after a confrontation in which the man,
identified as 38-year-old James Boyd, tells police hes going to
walk down the mountain with them.
Dont change up the agreement, Boyd says. Im going to try to
walk with you.
He tells officers hes not a murderer.
Boyd picks up his belongings and appears ready to walk down
toward officers. An officer fires a flash-bang device, which
disorients Boyd.
Boyd appears to pull out knives in both hands as an officer with
a dog approaches him. He makes a threatening motion toward the
officer, then starts to turn around away from police.
Thats when shots ring out, and Boyd hits the ground. Blood can
be seen on the rocks behind him.
1 p.m.
Albuquerque Police Chief Gorden Eden said officers were
justified in shooting a man they said was illegally camping in
the Sandia foothills Sunday night because the man made a
threatening move towards officers.
But significant questions remain, including what killed the man.
An APD spokeswoman cut the news conference short, and Eden
walked out while reporters were still asking questions. He did
take a question during a brief interview with the Journal after
the news conference.
At least one live round hit the man, but the Office of the
Medical Investigator has not determined what killed the man,
Eden said.
Eden said officers decided to use less-than-lethal force,
including bean bag rounds, because the man picked up his
backpack and said he was coming off the mountain.
Officers appeared to have the man surrounded, but Eden said they
couldnt wait him out because they couldnt keep him contained
within the perimeter due to the difficulty of the terrain.
Eden identified the man as James Boyd, 38. A 2008 police report
released by Eden listed Boyds address as the county jail.
Eden said Boyd had a history of violence against law enforcement.
Below is a summary of Edens comments, as he made them.
Chief Eden said APD has interviewed 40 witnesses so far, and
that the suspect was sleeping as officers approached.
The chief showed a video of the incident. It shows officers
telling the man to show his hands. They demand repeatedly: Put
the knife down!
In the video, Boyd tells officers hes been trying to contact
APD for months. He talks almost non-stop. Officers keep their
guns trained on him.
Chief Eden said the suspect continued to rant after a crisis-
intervention officer arrived. The suspect tells officers hes an
agent of the Department of Defense.
Officers appear to fire less-than-lethal rounds, after which
the man drops to ground with the knife still in his hand. They
also fired live-rounds, but its not clear from the video which
shots were live and which werent.
The chief said the suspect is 38 years old and that he refused
to follow directions.
Chief Eden said the man was hit by a live round, but did not
say thats what killed him.
Eden said the man made a threatening move toward an officer,
and thats what triggered the shooting. The shooting was
justified, Eden said.
Two officers fired shots, the chief says.
A public information officer announces that the news
conference is over. Eden continues taking a few questions before
finally walking out as a Journal reporter continues to ask
questions.
http://www.abqjournal.com/372376/abqnewsseeker/apd-releases-info-
about-fatal-officer-involved-shooting.html
turning away from officers when they fired at him, according to
video released by Chief Gorden Eden on Friday.
The shots come after a confrontation in which the man,
identified as 38-year-old James Boyd, tells police hes going to
walk down the mountain with them.
Dont change up the agreement, Boyd says. Im going to try to
walk with you.
He tells officers hes not a murderer.
Boyd picks up his belongings and appears ready to walk down
toward officers. An officer fires a flash-bang device, which
disorients Boyd.
Boyd appears to pull out knives in both hands as an officer with
a dog approaches him. He makes a threatening motion toward the
officer, then starts to turn around away from police.
Thats when shots ring out, and Boyd hits the ground. Blood can
be seen on the rocks behind him.
1 p.m.
Albuquerque Police Chief Gorden Eden said officers were
justified in shooting a man they said was illegally camping in
the Sandia foothills Sunday night because the man made a
threatening move towards officers.
But significant questions remain, including what killed the man.
An APD spokeswoman cut the news conference short, and Eden
walked out while reporters were still asking questions. He did
take a question during a brief interview with the Journal after
the news conference.
At least one live round hit the man, but the Office of the
Medical Investigator has not determined what killed the man,
Eden said.
Eden said officers decided to use less-than-lethal force,
including bean bag rounds, because the man picked up his
backpack and said he was coming off the mountain.
Officers appeared to have the man surrounded, but Eden said they
couldnt wait him out because they couldnt keep him contained
within the perimeter due to the difficulty of the terrain.
Eden identified the man as James Boyd, 38. A 2008 police report
released by Eden listed Boyds address as the county jail.
Eden said Boyd had a history of violence against law enforcement.
Below is a summary of Edens comments, as he made them.
Chief Eden said APD has interviewed 40 witnesses so far, and
that the suspect was sleeping as officers approached.
The chief showed a video of the incident. It shows officers
telling the man to show his hands. They demand repeatedly: Put
the knife down!
In the video, Boyd tells officers hes been trying to contact
APD for months. He talks almost non-stop. Officers keep their
guns trained on him.
Chief Eden said the suspect continued to rant after a crisis-
intervention officer arrived. The suspect tells officers hes an
agent of the Department of Defense.
Officers appear to fire less-than-lethal rounds, after which
the man drops to ground with the knife still in his hand. They
also fired live-rounds, but its not clear from the video which
shots were live and which werent.
The chief said the suspect is 38 years old and that he refused
to follow directions.
Chief Eden said the man was hit by a live round, but did not
say thats what killed him.
Eden said the man made a threatening move toward an officer,
and thats what triggered the shooting. The shooting was
justified, Eden said.
Two officers fired shots, the chief says.
A public information officer announces that the news
conference is over. Eden continues taking a few questions before
finally walking out as a Journal reporter continues to ask
questions.
http://www.abqjournal.com/372376/abqnewsseeker/apd-releases-info-
about-fatal-officer-involved-shooting.html