Police Chief Jerry Dyer announced the release of the video at a press conference yesterday. Dyer, who described the video as “extremely graphic,” said he made the decision to release the video to help people understand why Noble was stopped and why the two officers who stopped him fired shots. Dyer also said the video will raise more questions about what happened, just as he has questions after viewing it.
According to Dyer, the man in the truck the officers pursued was believed to have a rifle. The video begins with the patrol car stopping behind Noble’s black truck at a red light. As the 19-year-old drives off after the light turns green, the police turn on their lights and siren and Noble continues to drive. Shortly afterwards, the teen turns into a Chevron station and stops his truck.
The officers stopped behind the truck and had their weapons drawn as they believed Noble was armed. They yelled several commands to the suspect such as “Let’s see your hands” and “Get both your hands out.”
Despite not being told to leave the vehicle, Noble got out of his truck. He first began approaching the officers and then walked away from them before turning around and walking towards them.
The two police officers continue to yell for him to show his hands and get down on the ground. Noble can be seen in the video appearing to have something in his right hand he then puts behind his back. According to Dyer, the officers believed what he had in his hand might be a weapon and when he did not obey their commands, two shots were fired.
Noble fell to the ground but was still moving. While on the ground he appears to be reaching into his waistband. Each officer then fires an additional shot.
The object in his hand was a small harmless plastic container.
ABC30 reports the family saw the video on Friday but it was decided not to make it public then as it was only hours after the killing of five police officers in Dallas. Dyer said each shot must be justified and there are questions about the final two shots. After being felled, he did not have a weapon in his hands and even though he was reaching into his waistband, it would have been difficult for him to pose a threat at that stage.
The Fresno Bee reports Noble’s mother, Veronica Nelson, commenced a lawsuit on Monday against the City of Fresno seeking unspecified damages. The claim alleges the police failed to use non-lethal options such as a Taser or the K9 Unit that was at the scene after the officers called for backup. The claim also alleges Noble did not match the description of the man who police were initially seeking, the one who was seen with a rifle.
The prosecutor’s office is investigating the shooting and their probe is expected to conclude next month. The FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice have also agreed to investigate the incident.
