Family of 22-year-old who was fatally shot by Maple Heights officer respond to release of police video
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - The family of a man who was fatally shot by Maple Heights police spoke publicly on the incident on Thursday.
Datwuan Catchings’ father claimed the officer shot at the 22-year-old like “he was a target.”
“Shot him in the back and killed him. Murdered him. Assassinated him flat out,” Catchings’ father alleged while speaking outside of the Maple Heights City Hall.
According to authorities, Catchings was shot and killed in Cleveland by a Maple Heights officer on May 30.
Cleveland police said Maple Heights officers were chasing the 22-year-old and several others in a vehicle that was believed to have been involved in a previous shooting.
The driver in the suspicious vehicle then struck a deer, ending the pursuit near Buckeye Road and East 93rd Street.
According to sources, at least three people fled from the crashed vehicle.
The Maple Heights officer then shot Catchings after he allegedly brandished a gun at officers.
Emergency responders took Catchings to a nearby hospital after the police-involved shooting and he was pronounced dead from his injuries.
Police said a firearm was recovered at the scene.
In June, lead investigators from the Cleveland Division of Police released body camera video from the Maple Heights officer who was involved in the incident.
Catchings can be seen in the video running away from police before leaping up to climb a fence. That appears to be the moment Catchings was shot.
An item alleged to be a gun in Catchings’ possession was highlighted by police in the body camera video that was released.
The family’s attorney said he will be released an unedited version of video on Thursday.
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