Featured image credit: Winslow Police Department
The death of a Native American woman at the hands of police sparked outrage and protests after she was shot five times.
Loreal Tsingine, 27, was shot dead back in March by officer Austin Shipley.
Concerns were originally raised by the public and Loreal's family after they insisted that the officer's conduct was not correct.
Credit: Daily Mail
Now bodycam footage has now been released of the altercation between the pair which shows Loreal approaching the officer with a pair of scissors. This small piece of film contributed to the ruling that the officer was justified in the shooting because he feared for the lives of both himself and his colleague.
The video shows Loreal and the officer having some kind of altercation, and she is thrown to the ground. At this point, the contents of her bag spill out over the floor. What follows is Loreal approaching the officer with scissors in hand. The exact point where she is shot has not been released for obvious reasons.
Up until that point, you can't hear what happens, but after the shooting the sound kicks in. You can then hear the officer breathing heavily and exclaiming to his partner: "She came at me with those scissors." It then sounds as if he wretches.
Credit: Winslow Police Department
Apparently, the officer was responding to a call regarding shoplifting prior to the incident.
Loreal's family have filed a $10.5 million (£8 million) lawsuit against the city, claiming that the officer violated Loreal's civil rights. They also claim that the city was negligent in "hiring, training, retaining, controlling and supervising" officer Shipley. They are seeking $8.5 million for Loreal's eight-year-old daughter, and $2 million for her husband.
Robert Pastor, the family's lawyer, said: "Our position remains that even though [Shipley] may not be held criminally liable, it was careless for the city of Winslow to give him a gun and a badge."
The officer continues to be on paid leave until an internal affairs investigation is completed.
Words by Mel Ramsay
