Family doubts cops’ account of man shot five times in Texas, demands video

Family doubts cops’ account of man shot five times in Texas, demands video

Police say the victim was firing a handgun into a crowd of people and then pointed his gun at the officer.

The family of a Texas City man who was shot five times by a police officer on Friday is demanding to see the video.

Carlton Wayne Smith Jr., 20, was struck in the upper left shoulder, the left, the upper left chest, and twice in the face — on the cheek and the chin — which left him with fatal injuries. He died about 1:20 a.m. Friday outside of a bar in Texas City just outside of Galveston, according to the Houston Chronicle.

The incident began when management at the bar called for help, and the responding officer said he saw Smith firing a handgun at patrons who were leaving the bar before allegedly pointing the gun at the officer, which is when the officer opened fire.

But family members are demanding the video showing him firing the gun at the crowd and then at police, expressing doubt that it actually exists. Daniel Kelley, Smith’s uncle, was quoted in the report as saying that he simply wants “the truth.”

Kelley said there has been no communication from investigators, and Smith’s body remained in the street for hours after he was shot. The family also says they heard conflicting accounts of what happened that fateful evening.

Kelley said that he found it hard to believe that Smith fired shots into a crowd of 100 people and failed to hit anyone. He noted that his nephew had no criminal record and was recently hired by a refinery.

Police said a camera was mounted on a police car as well as a security camera at the bar, and investigators will analyze those, according to officials.

The Texas City police department will release the officer’s name within 48 hours of the shooting. He is currently on what is called “modified duty,” which gives him the option of staying home or working, and if he does work, allowing him to wear civilian clothes and work desk duty.

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