Officer Nicholas Palmier was justified in shooting Jesse Beshaw because he thought his life was in dangers, prosecutors say
THIS newly-released bodycam footage shows the moment an unarmed burglary suspect was fatally shot seven times by a cop.
Prosecutors say the shooting was justified because Deputy Sheriff Nicholas Palmier thought he was in danger of being killed.
The footage shows the Franklin County, Vermont, officer being advanced on by Jesse Beshaw after he chased him behind a set of houses.
Beshaw is seen approaching Deputy Palmier with his hand concealed behind his back, stating "do it, do it" after being warned he will be shot.
Bram Kranichfeld, deputy state's attorney in Chittenden County, said that given Beshaw's actions and what Palmier knew, a person in Palmier's position would have believed he was in danger of being killed.
The prosecutor added that firing his gun at Beshaw was "justified as being lawful defense of himself".
Palmier was returning home to Winooski, just outside Burlington, from work in Fairfax when he saw Winooski police cruisers parked outside a residence and stopped to offer help on September 16.
He was told by a police officer that Beshaw, who was wanted for several burglaries, was inside the apartment and had always been armed with a gun.
Another officer told Palmier they were looking for Beshaw in relation to armed bank robberies and a recent burglary.
Police said they previously went to a house when Beshaw was robbing it and he had a gun in his hand but threw it in a trash bin, where it was recovered.
"He's definitely carrying," an officer told Palmier, according to prosecutors.
When Beshaw abruptly came out of the apartment and ran down a street Palmier ran after him.
In a paved area behind a community centre, Beshaw stopped and positioned himself with his right hand concealed at his waist, prosecutors said.
Palmier heard Beshaw say, "I'll pull a gun out," authorities said, although what Beshaw said was inaudible in the bodycam footage.
Palmier drew his gun and aimed at Beshaw, shouting, "I'll shoot you. I will shoot you."
Palmier told Beshaw to show his hands.
Beshaw backed up and then advanced on Palmier in an aggressive manner, moving his concealed right hand behind his back and shouting: "Do it! Do it!"
Palmier told Beshaw to step back, but Beshaw continued to advance, saying, "Do it." Palmier fired eight shots.
Officers, including Palmier, administered emergency medical aid until emergency crews arrived, but Beshaw died at the scene. No weapon was found on him.
It's the third fatal cop shooting in the Burlington area in 10 months, which Chittenden County state's attorney T.J. Donovan called "troubling".
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