Body camera footage released by the Chandler Police Department in Arizona appears to show an officer shooting a 17-year-old in the back twice.
Officer Chase Bebak-Miller reportedly shot Anthony Cano, 17, twice on Jan. 2, as Miller chased after the teenager who evaded him during a traffic stop. Around 9:20 p.m. earlier that night, Cano was seen riding his bike across both lanes of traffic, which prompted the officer to initiate a traffic stop, but Cano fled. Cano died weeks later, and the shooting is still under investigation.
Cano ran toward Gazelle Meadows Park, which was deserted at the time. According to the body camera footage, Bebak-Miller chased after him and yelled a warning before seeing him appear to drop a gun and then reach for it.
In the footage, Bebak-Miller is heard shouting, “Weapon drawn! Get on the ground!” before almost instantaneously firing at Cano once at close range and a second time moments later. The teenager is seen collapsing after the first shot and was on the ground when the officer fired the second shot.
Bebak-Miller radioed for help and urged Cano to put his hands behind his back. He told the officer that he couldn’t.
Cano later said, “I don’t want to die.”
After additional officers arrived at the scene, the teenager told officials, “I was throwing the gun away,” to which the officer responded, “I thought you were pulling it on me, man. That was f—-ing stupid.”
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Cano was taken to the hospital and died on Jan. 27.
The Criminal Investigation Bureau within the Chandler Police Department has concluded its investigation into the shooting and submitted its findings to the county attorney general, who will determine whether to pursue criminal charges.
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which will overhaul what policing looks like. The bill, which will face a tough time in the Senate, would establish new requirements for law enforcement officers and agencies, including training recruits on implicit bias and racial profiling, would force them to wear body cameras, and it would create a national registry to compile data on police misconduct.
