Video: San Antonio Police Officer Stops Suspect who Grabs Dropped Taser

By Jacob Beltran

Source San Antonio Express-News

The San Antonio Police Department has released body cam footage showing a fatal foot chase in which an officer shoots and kills a 43-year-old man.

One video is raw, and SAPD Detective Robert Dart narrates another version. SAPD released the footage, which is available on YouTube, Tuesday evening.

In the video, SAPD Officer Orlando Jimenez appears to pull over Miguel Angel Morin during a traffic stop that Dart says happened at about 7 p.m. on March 16 on West Loop 410 eastbound, near Vance Jackson.

Morin continues driving until he stops at Vance Jackson Road.

"Get the (expletive) out the car," Jimenez yells.

Morin exits the car and runs. He's holding a black bag as he runs behind a gas station.

"You're going to get Tased, mother-(expletive)!" Jimenez yells once more with his stun gun drawn. Morin continues running across Vance Jackson, into the 200 block of Birchwood.

Jimenez runs after him, crossing Vance Jackson as cars pass close to him. The video shows Morin jumping over a wooden fence into a backyard. Jimenez continues to run after Morin, opens a gate, and barrels through trash cans.

Morin climbs onto a wooden fence separating two homes, trying to position himself to jump onto the roof of a home. But Morin falls down a narrow area between the fence and the side of the house.

Immediately, Jimenez fires a stun gun toward Morin. The probes connect, and the electric current is heard as it surges into Morin. But Morin appears unfazed, moving side to side. He pulls the stun gun probes out.

Morin shouts what sounds like "Hold on." He's out of breath and standing behind a tall metal scale. Then he walks forward, knocking over the scale.

Jimenez shouts repeatedly, "Get down on the ground! Get on the ground! You got a knife! Get on the ground!"

Jimenez also radios to other officers that the suspect has "got a knife."

According to Dart, the suspect refuses to comply, and Jimenez notices that Morin has a knife sheathed on his hip.

Jimenez tries using the stun gun on Morin a second time, but it still has no effect.

Jimenez backs up, dropping his stun gun.

Morin reaches down and picks up the officer's stun gun. Morin picks up the stun gun and continues toward Jimenez. That's when Jimenez fires three shots at Morin.

Morin shouts in pain each time he's struck, falling to the ground.

EMS attempts to save Morin, but he died at the scene, Dart says. He adds that Jimenez, who has been with the department for four years, was uninjured.

The video shows a phone and the sheathed knife taken as evidence.

The video also displays items police say they recovered from Morin's black bag. The items include "more than 500 grams of narcotics and a gun," Dart says.

Dart said investigations into deadly force are comprehensive and could take more than a year. He said the released video is their current understanding of the incident and could change as investigators gather additional information.

San Antonio police do not make any determination as to whether or not procedures were followed until all facts are known, Dart said.

All officer-involved shootings are forwarded to the Bexar County District Attorney's Office for review.

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