CLEVELAND — Video shot from a nearby apartment captured Sunday's deadly shootout between Cleveland police officers and a 39-year-old man accused of walking along the street and firing a gun.
On the 29-second recording, police are heard ordering the man to drop the gun at the intersection of East 12th Street and Superior Avenue Sunday afternoon. Within seconds, he appears to reach down and officers begin firing. On the video, the man appears to go down, slumped behind a flag pole.
As two officers in frame of the video head for cover behind a police car, the man appears to turn toward other officers off-camera. On the recording, a window in the office building behind the man blows out. The man gets up, appearing to limp. His right leg looks injured. Then the video shows him appear to point a gun, and more shots follow. One shot can be heard, and then a volley of at least ten more.
Cleveland police said 39-year-old Patrick Horton was shot and killed.
Investigators said Horton had been walking along Superior with a gun Sunday afternoon triggering at least three 911 calls reporting a man firing shots.
Police said when they found Horton at the intersection of East 12th Street and Superior Avenue, he initially put the gun down, but then picked it back up and pointed it at officers.
Security and use of force expert Tim Dimoff reviewed the video of the shooting.
Dimoff said in this case, it appeared police followed their training.
"They can’t wait for this subject to keep shooting people, then neutralize him," said Dimoff. "He’s pulling that firearm out, they’re yelling to put the gun down and he doesn’t. They have to neutralize that subject."
Dimoff called what happened downtown a sad ending, but worries it could have been much worse had officers not reacted the way they did.
"These officers are not going to go home and be excited they had to shoot somebody," said Dimoff. "But they should thank God they were able to be there and neutralize the subject from hurting innocent people."
So far, Cleveland police have not released body camera video from Sunday's shooting.
The Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Department is continuing to investigate the incident.
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