The El Paso Police Department (EPPD) released the bodycam footage Saturday of a harrowing March 5 incident in which a patrol officer shot and killed a suspect who claimed he had a gun.
Michael Anthony Estrada “became uncooperative with the patrol supervisor and stated he had a gun on his person,” EPPD Public Information Officer Judy Oviedo said in the video.
The video shows the officer approach Estrada, who was sitting in his black Mustang car, which was parked in a car wash, with his hood popped and his driver’s side door open.
The officer asked Estrada for his ID and then asked if he had any weapons in the car. “No, sir, I’m sorry,” he replied.
Estrada then expressed frustration over his inability to fix his car. The officer asked him if he was living in his car. “Yeah, I’m living in here, bro,” the suspect replied
Estrada appeared to keep searching for his ID. “You don’t know where your wallet is or anything?” the officer asked him.
The question seemed to perturb Estrada. “Just let me calm down please, let me calm down, because I’m just frustrated with this car already,” Estrada responded.
After asking him for his name and date of birth, the officer asked him to step out of the vehicle. Estrada told him he could not do that. When the officer asked why, Estrada answered, “you need to back up, bro.”
“Why do I need to back up?” the officer asked.
“You need to back up right now.”
“Why?”
“You need to back the fuck up.”
“Why dude?” the officer asked as he pulled his gun and aimed it at Estrada.
“Hey relax, relax dude,” the officer told Estrada
“Please get away from me,” Estrada repeated.
“What do you have in your hand?” the officer asked multiple times.
“What’s in your hand?”
“It’s a gun, so please back up,” Estrada responded.
Estrada then repeatedly pleaded with the officer to go back to his car and asked him, “do you want to go home tonight?”
The tense standoff continued as Estrada refused to put down the gun he claimed to be holding. “Did you pick the wrong day to go to work to today?” Estrada asked the officer
The officer kept telling him to relax. “I’m gonna relax,” Estrada replied.
The officer then fired seven shots into the vehicle. He then requested backup and medical services and fell back behind a dumpster. (RELATED: Body Cam Captures Moments Before Police Deadly Shooting)
“Fire Medical Services declared Estrada dead at the scene,” Ovideo said in the video.
The incident is being investigated by the EPPD’s Crimes Against Person Unit as well as the Texas Rangers, Ovideo added.
The officer involved was a veteran police sergeant of 12 years and 11 months, according to Oviedo.
The EPPD told Estrada’s mother they found a gun in his car, she told KTSM.