Glendale Police officials release body camera video taken during deadly police shooting at gas station
PHOENIX - On Dec. 11, officials with the Glendale Police Department released new information surrounding a police shooting in August that killed a 39-year-old man.
The shooting happened on Aug. 14 at a gas station near the I-17 and Camelback Road. According to a FOX 10 news report at the time, detectives were investigating a car that had recently been stolen in an armed carjacking. Police say they followed the car to a QuikTrip near the I-17 and Camelback Road to arrest the suspect, since identified as Derick Manuel Bonilla.
Photo of Derick Bonilla (Courtesy: Glendale Police Department)
When detectives tried to arrest Bonilla, officials say Bonilla knocked one of the detectives to the ground and reached toward his waistband area. Police officials say a second detective shot at the suspect out of fear for the other officer's life. Bonilla later died at the hospital.
Body camera video released
Screenshot of body camera video taken immediately following the shooting (Courtesy: Glendale Police Department)
In body camera video released by Glendale Police officials (viewer discretion advised), a uniformed police officer was driving up to the gas station when three shots were heard.
When the uniformed officer got out of his car, a detective can be heard telling the suspect to put his hands up. After a gun was found, officers at the scene began to take life-saving measures.
"He knocked me down," a detective, identified only as Detective #3 in the video, said.
"Why would he grab a (expletive) gun in front of us?" a detective, identified only as Detective #2 in the video, said.
"He was reaching in his pocket," Detective #3 said.
Glendale Police officials say the detective who was identified as Detective #2 in the video was the one who fired at Bonilla.
Sgt. Randy Stewart with Glendale Police said, in the video, that DPS investigators are conducting a criminal review of the incident, while Glendale Police will conduct a separate internal investigation.
Findings from the criminal investigation, according to Glendale Police officials, will later be sent to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office, and eventually, the findings will be shared with Glendale Police. As part of the internal investigation, a Use of Force Board that consists of experts and members of the community will be convened.
"Upon completion of both the criminal and internal review, the findings are forwarded through the chain of command. That process can take anywhere from several months to a year," officials wrote on the department's website.
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