CLEVELAND — Cleveland Police are leading the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting of a man by a Cleveland Metropolitan Housing Authority police officer Monday morning.
On Wednesday, CPD held a brief news conference to provide an update on the investigation. Watch it below:
Body camera video was also released to News 5 Wednesday afternoon. Watch our report on the new video below:
Police said they were called to the Village of Riverside Park for a loud music complaint.
CMHA Police Chief Andy Gonzalez said that officer was flagged down by Malik Roquemore who later attacked the officer while he was still in the driver’s seat.
“As he’s getting out the vehicle, he opens the door and all of a sudden the male that was flagging him down starts running towards him and literally starts punching him, starts attacking him,” said Gonzalez.
The 22-year-old officer, the chief said, first deployed a taser.
“It did not have the effect that we were hoping for; the male continued to fight with the officer,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez said the officer was able to get out of the patrol car. The officer, according to Gonzalez, retreated to the back.
He said Roquemore went to the front of the car.
“The male, for whatever reason, came around the police car and continued to challenge the officer, actually started running, charging the officer. It was at that point where the officer with the firearm in his hand, he fired two shots,” explained Gonzalez.
The officer rendered first aid to Roquemore, the chief said. He was taken to the hospital where he later died.
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