October 10, 2009
Fatal police shooting: In-car videos released
Chase, truck rammings, shots fired, all recorded
Advertiser

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Police cruiser videos from the night Charleston police officers shot and killed suspect Brian Good and fellow officer Jerry Jones show officers firing into Good's truck as he rams it into police cruisers.

They also show the terrible aftermath of the scene, as police approach Good's truck, take cover after a final shot from Jones' gun, and then realize that their fellow officer has been wounded.

One of the videos also appears to show Jones, in shadow, getting out of his car and walking some distance from the passenger side of Good's truck before shots are fired.

Officials from the Kanawha County Sheriff's and Charleston Police departments, as well as Charleston Mayor Danny Jones, held a news conference to discuss and release the tapes Friday.

"It's my personal preference they not get out," the mayor said, "but we know they're going to get out."

Police said they did leave out a small part of the video - the sounds of Jones dying.

The mayor said if anyone wanted to see that part of the video, "That's a fight we might make."

Details from the scene

Jones' cruiser was the one closest to Good's truck during the nearly 20-minute chase in the early hours of Sept. 13. The video from Jones' cruiser shows Good's passenger, Natasha Light, throwing a large box speaker and other objects from the truck's cab.

At the end of the chase, Good turns into a gravel lot on Quick Road and spins around, nearly hitting Jones' cruiser. Jones then pulls his vehicle forward, where the video from his car ends.

The video from the car behind Jones at the end of the chase, driven by Patrolman Owen Morris, shows Good spin around Jones' car and then slam into Morris' cruiser.

Light can be seen raising her head inside the truck, then it disappears again. The flashing lights on Jones' cruiser are seen pulling away from Good's vehicle through Good's rear window.

Good continues revving his truck and pushing forward as a K-9 unit pulls up to Good's truck, to the left of Morris' cruiser.

What appears to be Jones, visible only as a shadowy figure, walks up toward the passenger side of Good's truck. He can be seen through the rear window, then the passenger window and then beyond the hood of the truck, which is stopped at an angle.

One shot is clearly heard first, then a barrage as officers fire at Good, who can barely be seen in the darkened driver's side of his truck. The Charleston Gazette has previously reported that Jones, Morris and Patrolman Christopher Burford were the only officers to fire at the scene. Morris fired from in front of Good's truck; Burford fired from the driver's side; Jones fired from the passenger side.

The videos from Burford's cruiser and West Virginia State Police Trooper Malcolm Napier's vehicle, both of which are positioned behind Morris' cruiser, show the aftermath.

As police approach Good's truck, they can be seen ducking and taking cover. Police have said that was because they heard a final shot from Jones' gun. One officer can be seen getting Light out of Good's vehicle and taking her away from the scene.

Sounds from the videos, as well as from previously released 911 tapes, tell how police discovered Jones and then desperately tried to save his life. After being wounded in the upper chest just above his body armor, Jones stumbled back to his cruiser, accidentally firing a shot into his car. That was the shot the other officers heard.

How the families feel

The Gazette now offers Facebook Comments on its stories. You must be logged into your Facebook account to add comments. If you do not want your comment to post to your personal page, uncheck the box below the comment. Comments deemed offensive by the moderators will be removed, and commenters who persist may be banned from commenting on the site.
Advertisement - Your ad here
Chronicling police oversight in West Virginia
Advertisement - Your ad here
Advertisement - Your ad here
Inside wvgazette.com