CHESTER, S.C. (CN2 NEWS) — Chester Chief of Police Eric Williams is speaking out on the body camera footage showing the shooting death of a man by one of his officers.
In a press conference that ran for more than an hour, Chief Williams addressed issues like why the body camera footage had no audio.
“That is the determination of when you are able to activate your body camera. If you are able and you have the ability to active your body camera immediately,” said Williams, “Then I think anything that you’re looking for in any situation will be there.”
Chief Williams says there is a two minute delay from when the body cam is activated to when it starts recording audio.
“In the heat of the moment, he activated it as soon as he could,” said Chief Willaims.
Chief Williams also addressed concerns that the gun could have been placed by McCree’s side he was shot. Chief Williams says the SLED investigation confirmed that the gun was purchased by McCree and registered in his name.
But those answers were not enough for Chester’s Mayor Wanda Stringfellow, who is first cousins with Ariane McCree’s mother. She says the lack of audio in the footage makes her question what commands officers gave McCree before they shot him.
“It has brought several questions to mind with regards to the actions that were taken by the officers on the day that this dreadful event took place,” said Mayor Stringfellow,
Chief Williams says another officer on scene did not activate his body camera at any point in the process. He says that officer was reprimanded, but wouldn’t say what consequences he faced because it’s a “personnel matter.”
Mayor Stringfellow says she plans to make a presentation at Monday night’s council meeting to address police brutality. Her suggestions will include a Citizens Review Board on Chester Police.
“It wasn’t a crime that put people in imminent danger in the beginning,” said Mayor Stringfellow, “It was shoplifting. And there [is] nothing in Wal-Mart in my opinion that deems a death sentence.”
