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Why Baltimore Police didn't publicly release body cam footage in officer-involved shooting

Posted at 12:24 PM, Mar 28, 2017
and last updated 2017-03-28 14:26:51-04

Footage of what marks the third police-involved shooting caught on a body worn camera in Baltimore was released to the press Tuesday, but officials chose not to make the video public due to its sensitive nature.

Police said “gut-wrenching screams” from two young children can be heard in the footage and are two graphic for public consumption.

RELATED: Body cam footage in police-involved shooting not publicly released

On Friday, officers responded to the 1000 block of North Fulton Avenue in west Baltimore after family members reported a 39-year-old, identified as Reno Joseph Owens, Jr. of no fixed address, threatened a 4-year old girl and a 1-year old boy with a butcher knife inside the family’s home.

A SWAT team member shot and killed Owens following a barricade situation. Police said officers were forced to deal quickly with an active threat. The officer was placed on routine, administrative duty.

RELATED: Third Baltimore police involved shooting caught on body cam

This is only the third police-involved shooting caught on a body worn camera since the program was implemented in the Baltimore City Police Department.

The first shooting took place on Black Friday of last year, and involved a man shot several times after wielding two knives and threatening people at the corner of Greenmount Avenue and 33rd Street in Waverly. The suspect survived.

Early last month, police released video from Detective David Kincaid after he shot an armed 18-year-old Curtis Deal, who can be seen in the video running from police before finally raising his gun at the officer.

Kincaid fired seven bullets, hitting Deal four times who died of his injuries.