On Wednesday, the Nashville, Tennessee District Attorney released a video showing the fatal shooting of 25-year-old Daniel Hambrick by Nashville police officer Andrew Delke. Hambrick was black, and Delke is white. The video shows Delke firing his gun as Hambrick runs away. One of the bullets hits him in the back and he collapses on a lawn. He was later pronounced dead. Prior to the release of the video, the department claimed that Hambrick had been armed and that the gun was found at the scene. The local Fraternal Order of Police is still standing behind the white officer, claiming Delke's decision to shoot Hambrick was "absolutely necessary and reasonable" and that currently undisclosed information will exonerate him. A thorough investigation has yet to be conducted. But it's hard to see any justification for firing at a man's back as he flees. Raw Story spoke with retired Seattle Police Chief and criminal justice reformer Norm Stamper about the video. "I have an emotional reaction and a professional, procedural reaction," Stamper tells Raw Story. "My emotional reaction is, this is a classic example of a police officer who appears not to have much respect for the sanctity of human life. A white cop shooting a fleeing black man ... and there are all kinds of questions about the gun." He points out that the gun that was allegedly found near Hambrick's body is not clearly visible in the footage. "With all of the objectivity I can muster, what I see is a police officer who is shooting in the back a man who is running away from him. And there appears to be no immediate threat for the officer's safety and survival." "I'm stuck once again with this feeling that we're not getting through to our police officers," Stamper says. "We're not being effective in communicating to every police officer that the preservation of human life is their top priority." Stamper says that during his decades in public service, he's frequently encountered the attitude that the top priority for police is to make it home to their families at night. That's understandable. But Stamper adds that it's somewhat shortsighted to presume that an officer's safety conflicts with the communities they're supposed to serve. "A philosophy that respects the santicty of human life is beneficial to them because it makes their work easier," he points out. "There's so much distrust between police and communities of color. Between white cops and black citizens. There's such a long tradition of police officers shooting first and asking questions later."<doc-sep>A white police officer has been caught on film fatally shooting a black man as he ran away from him in Tennessee. Daniel Hambrick, 25, was shot three times and killed by officer Andrew Delke, also 25, after he fled a traffic stop in Nashville on July 26. The footage, taken from school CCTV cameras at a school, was released by the Tennessee Department of Investigations as part of their probe into the killing. Daniel Hambrick, 25, (right) was caught on a school CCTV system running away from officer Andrew Delke, also 25, before being shot dead in Nashville last month Delke (bottom right) said Hambrick fled a traffic stop with a gun in his hand on July 26, prompting him to give chase before opening fire The video shows Hambrick around 40 yards away from Delke and running in the opposite direction when he opens fire. In total Delke fired four shots, three of which struck Hambrick causing him to fall to the floor. As Hambrick lays bleeding to death, Delke can be seen walking away with his gun drawn before approaching the wounded man when another officer arrives. Hambrick was handcuffed before he died, though it is not clear from the footage if either officer attempted to provide medical help. Delke claims that Hambrick was armed when he was shot - and police say a gun was found close to the scene - but CCTV does not clearly show whether Hambrick was holding anything. After the video was released, Nashville NAACP demanded that Delke be fired and charged with murder. Jo Kimbrough, attorney for the Hambrick's family, told The Tennessean: 'He [Delke] shoots him [Hambrick] repeatedly from behind. Hambrick is pictured in a previous mugshot, left. It is not known exactly what he had been arrested for, but he had a lengthy criminal history including charges for drugs, firearm offences and assault. Officer Delke is pictured right Video shows Hambrick (center, underneath the tree) with his back turned and facing away from Delke (bottom left) when the officer fires four shots, three of which hit Hambrick After Delke (center, to the right of the telegraph pole) shoots Hambrick (to the right of Delke, clutching his chest) he falls to the ground, where he was later handcuffed Pictured is the handgun which officers say Hambrick was carrying when he was shot 'The police officer fired four times, three of those bullets ripped Daniel apart. He fell to the ground, where he was cuffed and left, left there like a dog. Worse than a dog. 'I'm a criminal defense attorney. If there is ever a case of premeditated first-degree murder, this is it.' The NAACP is also demanding that the Federal Bureau of Investigation open up a civil rights probe and a review of the Nashville Police Department. Mayor David Briley did announce a 'comprehensive review' of police policy after the video emerged, though the investigation into Delke's conduct is ongoing and it is not clear if any action will be taken against the officer. Nashville Fraternal Order of Police President James Smallwood criticized investigators for releasing the video before their task is complete. He added that if Hambrick had dropped a pistol he was holding as ordered, he would still be alive. Members of the Hambrick family sobbed and raised their voices in outrage during a press conference after they had just watched the video. However, the did urge people to refrain from violence during their protests. Vickie Hambrick (center left) and attorney Joy Kimbrough (center right) are calling for Delke to be fired from the force and charged with homicide Hambrick wept as she pleaded for 'justice' for her son at a press conference shortly after watching the video for the first time The Nashville Fraternal Order of Police insists that Delke was justified in his decision to shoot, and that had Hambrick dropped his weapon as ordered, he would still be alive 'I just want justice for my son,' Vickie Hambrick, Hambrick's mother, said during the news conference with the local NAACP. 'That's all I'm asking. And for all the young black guys and young women, I want justice for them. I love them all.' The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has said police had been looking for stolen vehicles when Hambrick was stopped. Police said he had been 'driving erratically', though wasn't in a stolen vehicle. Bureau spokesman Josh DeVine has said authorities believe that during a traffic stop, Hambrick 'reportedly emerged from the vehicle with a firearm in his hand' and the 'situation escalated,' resulting in Delke firing his gun several times. Hambrick appeared to have a dark-colored object in his hand during the chase in a separate video from a housing complex that also has been released. The bureau said a handgun was recovered at the scene. On the day of the shooting, Metro Nashville Police tweeted out a photo of a handgun, saying that a fatal police-involved shooting occurred and the '25-year-old man who carried this gun was shot by MNPD officer.' Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron said the new video must be evaluated 'contextually, with the entire TBI file, which obviously we don't have yet.' He said the department maintains that Hambrick had a gun. Joy Kimbrough, attorney for the Hambrick family, imitates the shooting during a press conference in which she branded the killing 'premeditated first-degree murder' Vickie Hambrick leaves the press conference on Wednesday surrounded by her family Antonio Hambrick, Daniel's brother, sits next to a memorial at the spot where he died Aaron said Delke was placed on routine administrative assignment and would not return to street duty until the investigation is complete and the district attorney has assessed it. Sam Hambrick Jr., Hambrick's uncle, questioned how his nephew could've been a threat while running away. 'I don't care if I have a hand grenade in my pocket; if I'm running away, I can't be a threat to you,' Sam Hambrick Jr. said. Smallwood, the Fraternal Order of Police official, countered that Hambrick refused commands to drop the gun, and could've fired over his shoulder or under his arm, or swung his arm back and shot the gun upside down. Smallwood said his group is confident that the investigation will exonerate Delke. Nashville District Attorney General Glenn Funk's office said the footage was released 'in an effort to show transparency as much as possible during this investigation,' adding that the investigation is expected to be finished within the next two weeks. The mayor said neither he nor Funk has made any judgments yet on the officer's actions. 'It is absolutely necessary that in this context, we continue to conduct ourselves peacefully and to give the process a chance to reach its final conclusion, while we work hard as a community to improve the way we police in Nashville,' Briley said. The shooting has heightened calls from community members who want to create a police oversight board in Nashville. A group has gathered more than twice the number of signatures required for a referendum on the topic, and the local election commission needs to approve the language and 8,269 signatures to place it on the ballot. The mayor said he is for civilian oversight of the police department but said he has questions about that particular proposal.<doc-sep>
Newly released surveillance video shows a police officer in Nashville, Tennessee, fatally shooting a man in the back as he ran away — leading to questions about the use of deadly force and calls for the police chief's resignation. The family of Daniel Hambrick, 25, held a news conference Wednesday after the video's release to call attention to perceived racial bias in policing and demand that the officer involved be fired. Hambrick was black; the officer is white. "I just want justice for my son," said Hambrick's mother, Vickie Hambrick, through tears. "That's all I'm asking. And for all the young black guys and young women, I want justice for them." Officer Andrew Delke, 25, who is assigned to the Juvenile Crime Task Force. Metro Nashville PD The surveillance footage, which was released by the Nashville district attorney and obtained from a nearby school, shows Metro Nashville police Officer Andrew Delke, 25, chasing Hambrick on a sidewalk just after 7 p.m. CT (8 p.m. ET) on July 26. Delke then stops and takes a shooting stance, and Hambrick falls to the ground. The officer then moves toward Hambrick with his weapon still drawn. There is no audio with the video. Police said Delke fired his gun "several times." Hambrick died shortly after he was transported from the scene. The local Fraternal Order of Police held their own news conference Wednesday to reiterate that the footage doesn't show the complete picture. President James Smallwood said that Hambrick was armed at the time, as police have said, and that Delke had to make an "absolutely necessary and reasonable" decision to fire if he believed Hambrick was in a position to shoot him. "It is our firm belief that Officer Delke acted reasonably under the totality of the circumstances," Smallwood said. On the night of the shooting, Metro Nashville police tweeted an image of the pistol that was recovered from the scene. Fatal police-involved shooting under investigation at 17th Ave N & Jo Johnston Ave. 25-year-old man who carried this gun was shot by MNPD officer. pic.twitter.com/yZrNEUQMQr — Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) July 27, 2018 Police said officers had been looking for stolen vehicles when they spotted a car that was driving in an "erratic pattern." The driver got away, but the same car was found later at an apartment complex, and as police approached, they said three people got out of the car. One of them was Hambrick. Why the situation escalated into him being chased remains under investigation. Nashville Mayor David Briley on Wednesday said he wants a "comprehensive review" of the shooting as the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation examines the case. He also urged for continued calm amid peaceful protests in the wake of the shooting. Activists and faith leaders have asked for Briley to remove the city's police chief, Steve Anderson, and renewed demands for a police oversight board. Acting Vice Mayor Sheri Weiner in a statement Wednesday called for Anderson to step down and for the entire police force to finally get body cameras. Nashville's Metro Council voted last year to spend $15 million on new bodycams and dashcam videos, but the program remains in a pilot phase. Delke wasn't wearing a bodycam and his police car had no dashcam video, The Tennessean reported last month. "It's well beyond time those funds be used to purchase the camera units, and associated equipment and implement the program," Weiner said. The city has been working with a nonprofit program out of New York University School of Law known as the Policing Project, which aims to strengthen residents' interaction with police and create more accountability for the department. In a statement, Anderson acknowledged that the Policing Project has been "beneficial" and he remains committed to reviewing the department's policing strategies. Delke, meanwhile, was placed on a routine administrative assignment while the investigation is ongoing and the district attorney reviews the case. Hambrick's death is the latest instance of police using deadly force on a black male — and is gaining national attention on the anniversary of the Aug. 9, 2014, fatal shooting in Ferguson, Missouri, of teenager Michael Brown. Joy Kimbrough, the Hambrick family's attorney, told reporters that Hambrick was no threat to the officer since he was running away — and that he was left bleeding to death. "He fell to the ground, where he was cuffed and left, left there like a dog," Kimbrough said. "Worse than a dog."