AndrewBlakeOmaha, NE – A Nebraska judge released a 2014 video on Tuesday that was filmed by a cameraman from the television series “Cops.” It showed the tragic accidental shooting of one of the show’s soundmen by an officer during a robbery at a Wendy’s (video below).
The video is part of a wrongful death lawsuit that has been filed by the brother of the man killed by police gunfire during the incident, according to KETV-TV.
Bryce Dion, who was a sound man for “Cops,” was killed when he followed officers into the fast food restaurant while they were responding to a call for an armed robbery.
A gunfight erupted, and Dion was caught in the crossfire as the robber tried to flee out the door.
Dion was wearing a ballistic vest at the time of the gunfight, but the bullet hit him under his arm where he was not covered by the vest, KETV reported.
Officers also fatally shot Cortez Washington, the armed gunman who was trying to rob the restaurant when police arrived.
Police shot Washington after he fired his weapon at the officers, according to KETV.
When the incident was over, investigators learned that Washington had been armed with a pellet gun, and not an actual firearm, KETV reported.
Attorney Brian Jorde, the attorney for the Dion family in the civil suit against the city, told KETV he believed that Dion’s death could have been avoided.
Jorde said the Omaha Police Department was negligent when officers continued to fire at Washington as he ran past Dion near the exit.
“They also had no plan or training for these types of instances and allowed civilians like Mr. Dion and the crew to run directly into the Wendy’s and be in the crossfire,” the attorney said.
The day after the shooting occurred, Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer went on the record saying that the officers thought Washington had a real firearm.
Chief Toss said that when Washington continued to point his pellet gun at the officers, it forced the police to fire back.
In 2015, a grand jury found the police were not criminally at fault for Dion’s death
KETV reported that if the wrongful-death lawsuit was not settled, it was expected to go to trial no later than fall of 2018.
Watch the gunfight between officers and the armed robber the video below: