Police filmed fatally shooting man alone in his car urged to release all body cam footage
Video report by ITV News Correspondent Geraint Vincent
Police in the US who fatally shot a man who was alone in his car have been urged to release all body-cam footage of the incident after huge protests were sparked over the July 4 killing.
Phoenix City Councillor Carlos Garcia recalls a string of shootings over recent years in which he says some officers got "away with murder".
"In Phoenix alone in 2018, we had 44 officer-involved shootings and more than half of them ended up in death.
"None of those officers were found accountable, or that they did anything wrong and so you're constantly seeing officers get away with anything, and sometimes getting away with murder."
He says there's a "long legacy" of police "displacing, murdering" non-white people in his city - of which more than 40 per cent is hispanic.
There were huge demonstrations in the city following the shooting and protesters are now calling for police to reveal the full story of what happened.
Phoenix police are being accused of trying to mislead the public over what led to the shooting after a clip of the aftermath was released, showing an officer - not involved in the incident - removing a gun from the lap of Mr Garcia.
“It was actually unethical to release that video to continue to portray James as something that he was not.
"And even if he was, I think the whole story needs to be told before they shape it the way they did,” said Councillor Garcia (not related to the deceased).
Phoenix police spokeswoman Sgt Mercedes Fortune said footage of the officer removing the gun from James Garcia’s lap was released to respond to misinformation on social media about the shooting.
The force says officers were speaking to Mr Garcia at his car before he rolled up the window and brandished a handgun.
When he refused to lower the weapon, one officer broke a window as a distraction before two other officers opened fire.
Garcia was pronounced dead at a hospital.
A video taken by a bystander shows officers standing outside the car in the moments before the shooting.
One officer can be heard telling Mr Garcia to not move or he will get shot, moments later several gun shots can be heard.
In response to protests over the killing, Police Chief Jeri Williams promised to release the videos within 10 to 14 days.