How police officer's split-second decision saved her life
WARNING – DISTURBING CONTENT: A police department has released confronting bodycam video showing how an officer’s quick reactions saved her life from an armed suspect, whom she was forced to shoot dead.
The clip, released by police in Northern California, appears to show the armed man, identified as Javier Hernandez Morales, shooting at the female officer first with a stolen handgun.
The 48-second video, captured on Sunday night, shows deputy Riley Jarecki approaching the driver’s side of a car she deemed suspiciously parked, while shining a torch into the car.
She asks Morales to roll down the window and when he does, he produces a handgun and fires at least one shot at Jarecki, which misses.
Jarecki radios for help, alerting the dispatch of “shots fired”, while retreating to the car’s passenger side and returning fire, fatally wounding Morales.
Crawford said Morales had an arrest warrant and a loaded .22-caliber rifle in the car.
Napa County Undersheriff Jon Crawford described the fatal incident as a clear case of attempted murder by Morales, and self defense by deputy Jarecki, ABC7 reported.
“The loss of life is something that we always take very seriously, either by this agency or by any other law enforcement agency,” Crawford told reporters on Wednesday.
“In this case however, Hernandez Morales made the choice to attempt to murder deputy Jarecki, and she responded accordingly.”
– with Associated Press
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