New video shows the moment a Miami-Dade Sheriff’s deputy shot and killed an armed shoplifting suspect during an encounter at a Walmart last year.
The video released by the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office on Thursday shows the Nov. 6 incident involving 36-year-old Kennedy Graham.
The deputy had responded to the Walmart supermarket in the area of South Dixie Highway and 211th Street after loss prevention staff saw Graham allegedly stealing from the store on security cameras.
Body camera footage showed the deputy approaching Graham from behind outside the store entrance before Graham started running.
During the scuffle, the camera is knocked off the deputy but kept filming.
“Don’t f—ing resist, don’t f—ing resist,” the deputy is heard saying in the footage.
Officials said the deputy tried to detain Graham but surveillance video showed them wrestling on the ground outside store in the parking garage area.
They fought for about a minute before Graham broke free and strated running, authorities said.
At that point, the bodycam footage shows Graham running with a gun in his hand as the deputy opens fire three times.
Graham collapsed nearby and was given aid at the scene before he was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The deputy, a 37-year-old who’s been with the sheriff’s office for five years, wasn’t injured and no other injuries were reported, officials said.
Graham’s loaded firearm was recovered at the scene, authorities said.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is still investigating the incident, which is standard practice in police shootings.
The sheriff’s office released a statement along with the release of the video.
“We recognize that incidents of this nature raise questions and concerns within our community, and I believe the public has the right to see critical incidents involving law enforcement,” the statement read. “While a thorough investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is still underway, releasing this footage ensures everyone sees the sequence of events as they unfolded. Regardless of the outcome, my commitment is clear, to be transparent with our community, to hold ourselves to the highest standards, and to continue working every day to earn and maintain your trust.”
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