Police in Rochester, New York, released footage of an officer-involved shooting on Aug. 20, and the local attorney general’s office said police used reasonable force when shooting and killing the man.
Senior Assistant Attorney General Peter Hinckley said on Oct. 4 that Heath crashed after a police pursuit. “The posted speed limit for this area is 35 miles per hour,” Hinckley said, adding that Heath was doing about 70 mph.
Trooper Haden Wilber, Rochester Police Officer Michael Lambert, and Trooper Nathaniel Goodwin arrived at the crash.
“Mr. Heath left the SUV through the front passenger door and he fell to the ground. Mr. Heath held in his left hand a loaded semi-automatic pistol. Within seconds of Mr. Heath getting out of that crashed SUV, and despite commands from Officer Lambert to drop his weapon, Mr. Heath pulled back on the slide of the pistol that he held,” Hinckley said, according to the paper.
The incident was captured via three videos, which were released by the Rochester Police Department.
In the video, Heath can be seen tumbling and rolling out of his vehicle with a pistol in hand.
Heath then opened fire. In the clip, his pistol can be seen pointing in the direction of Lambert, Goodwin, and a private citizen, according to the paper.
“About a second after Mr. Heath fires his pistol a second time, he draws his left arm across his chest again, pointing his gun in the direction of Officer Lambert, Trooper Goodwin, and at least one private citizen,” Hinckley said, WMUR reported. “Mr. Heath fires another shot, his third, and only at this time, multiple shots begin being fired at Mr. Heath.”
Lambert, Goodwin, and Wilber opened fire after a third shot fired by Heath hit the roof of a pickup truck.