The Colorado Springs Gazette has obtained graphic video showing police shooting a black teenage boy in the back during a chase. De'Von Bailey, 19, later died at a hospital.
The newly published video is not contained in this story. It is embedded on the Gazette's site—trigger warning.
The footage aligns with what witnesses said days earlier about the police incident, which has been followed by protests and a Sunday night vigil in the area. In a Gazette report from earlier this week, a police spokesperson declined to address witness comments, but claimed "some outrageously irresponsible and incorrect information" was circulating on social media.
The release of video Wednesday, however, shows that both involved officers (who appear to be white) chased Bailey on foot, ultimately shooting him in the back.
The shooting took place Saturday, with police saying they had arrived at the scene in connection with two robbery suspects. One suspect, they claimed, had reached for a gun in his waistband. That facet of the police encounter, however, has been disputed. In Wednesday's Gazette report, notably, former National Police Accountability Project board president John Burton said the video seen so far shows Bailey was "definitely not reaching in his waistband and about to shoot the officers."
In a statement shared Tuesday, Mayor John Suthers said city officials and the Colorado Springs Police Department was working with the El Paso County Sheriff's Office on the investigation.
"The City of Colorado Springs and CSPD recognize the concerns of many citizens of our community following the officer-involved shooting of Devon Bailey on Saturday night," Suthers said. "It is in the best interest of everyone involved, and our entire community, to ensure that the incident is fully and effectively investigated and an appropriate conclusion is reached."
Body cam footage has not been released, with investigating authorities also stating—per The Post—that the involved officers (who have not been publicly identified) are currently on administrative leave.
