Baltimore police launched physique digicam footage on Tuesday displaying an officer taking pictures a Black teenager within the again as he fled. The officer shouted a requirement for the teenager to drop a gun, after which shortly fired. {The teenager} was badly wounded and misplaced a number of organs, and police mentioned they found a gun with him following the taking pictures on Thursday.
Mekhi Franklin, 17, might be seen on digicam strolling on the sidewalk with somebody. Witnesses advised native media outlet The Baltimore Banner that police officer Cedric Elleby was sitting on a stoop with Franklin earlier than the taking pictures. Franklin will get up and begins to stroll away; Elleby follows him.
It’s unclear what the officer mentioned to Franklin and the opposite particular person when he approached them, however the two cease and so they briefly speak.
Audio then comes on. “Come right here,” Elleby says to Franklin, to which {the teenager} replies: “What bro?” Elleby then lunges at Franklin, making an attempt to seize him, however Franklin pulls away and begins to dash in the wrong way.
Warning: The video beneath accommodates graphic footage.
Elleby chases Franklin via a grassy space, a again alley, after which close by the sidewalk in broad daylight. The chase lasted for about 30 seconds.
Elleby shouts at Franklin to cease and put the gun down, after he pulls what seems to be a firearm out of his pants. The gun seems to nonetheless be in Franklin’s hand, however the footage doesn’t present Franklin turning towards Elleby or pointing the gun at him through the foot chase.
Elleby then fires 4 pictures, and Franklin collapses in an alley in entrance of a rowhome. The gun might be seen laying on the bottom away from his physique.
An emotional and chaotic scene adopted the taking pictures, with residents arriving on the taking pictures scene as Elleby and one other officer tried to render support to Franklin. Voices are heard shouting within the background.
“You simply shot him for nothing,” one civilian is heard saying within the background.
Baltimore Police Deputy Commissioner Richard Worley advised the media in a press convention the day of the taking pictures that Elleby was on patrol within the space and noticed Franklin “displaying traits of an armed particular person.”
Police mentioned Elleby is a part of the division’s district motion crew, that are plainclothes items tasked with “proactive” policing that concentrate on armed folks, making visitors stops and foot chases.
The Maryland Legal professional Common’s Workplace mentioned they don’t seem to be investigating the taking pictures right now, however Mayor Brandon Scott has promised an intensive investigation. Keira Franklin, the mom of {the teenager}, mentioned this isn’t the primary time police harassed her son.
“This occurred beforehand with the identical police officer,” she mentioned.