Body camera video of a recent officer-involved shooting on a Southern California highway appears to support authorities’ claims that 17-year-old Hannah Williams was brandishing a replica handgun in the moments before she was fatally struck by police gunfire. Fullerton Police on Friday night released a 15-minute clip showing the chaos leading up to Williams’ death and the bloody aftermath. They additionally released still photos of the incident as well as a 911 call made by Benson Williams, the teen’s father, the night she was shot. Authorities said an officer with the Fullerton Police Department, who has not been identified, was driving his police K-9 in for a medical procedure on July 5 when he spotted an SUV speeding along the 91 Freeway. He attempted to pull it over, but "the gray SUV appeared to have intentionally collided with his police car,” police spokesman Jon Radus said in a briefing Friday. “The driver then made an abrupt U-turn into oncoming traffic and came to a skidding stop, facing the wrong way on the freeway.” The driver’s “erratic behavior” prompted the officer to immediately radio in for backup just before 7 p.m., Radus added. The body camera video starts with Williams’ SUV facing backwards on the Anaheim highway. The Fullerton officer can be seen stepping out of his car, gun drawn, and then slowly approaching the vehicle’s driver side. When Williams becomes visible in the frame, she can be seen with both her arms raised in front of her body, in what appears to be a shooting stance. The officer responds by firing his own weapon. As Williams falls to the ground, she drops what appears to be a firearm, which lands on the road nearby. “It’s a replica, it’s a replica,” another officer can be heard saying just moments later. The high school senior and soccer player can be seen begging officers for help throughout the clip, telling them repeatedly that she was unable to breathe. Officers administered medical aid on the scene, which included applying a tourniquet above a gunshot wound on her leg, but Williams later died from her injuries at an area hospital, officers said. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office in a statement earlier this week said a replica Beretta 92 FS was recovered from the scene. About an hour and a half after the fatal encounter, Williams’ father called 911 to report his daughter made off with the family’s rental car and had been missing for several hours. When asked whether he worried that she could be a danger to herself, Benson Williams in audio of the call responds: “I am.” He also said Hannah was on medication for depression. Following the video’s release, attorney Lee Merritt, who had been advocating for transparency on the Williams family’s behalf, faulted authorities for not sharing such details sooner but hoped the teen’s loved ones got “a bit of closure.” Merritt additionally acknowledge Williams’ stance in the video forced the officer to “make a split s
Bodycam video appears to show California teen aiming replica handgun at officer moments before he fa
Body camera video of a recent officer-involved shooting on a Southern California highway appears to support authorities’ claims that 17-year-old Hannah Williams was brandishing a replica handgun in the moments before she was fatally struck by police gunfire. Fullerton Police on Friday night released a 15-minute clip showing the chaos leading up to Williams’ death and the bloody aftermath. They additionally released still photos of the incident as well as a 911 call made by Benson Williams, the teen’s father, the night she was shot. Authorities said an officer with the Fullerton Police Department, who has not been identified, was driving his police K-9 in for a medical procedure on July 5 when he spotted an SUV speeding along the 91 Freeway. He attempted to pull it over, but "the gray SUV appeared to have intentionally collided with his police car,” police spokesman Jon Radus said in a briefing Friday. “The driver then made an abrupt U-turn into oncoming traffic and came to a skidding stop, facing the wrong way on the freeway.” The driver’s “erratic behavior” prompted the officer to immediately radio in for backup just before 7 p.m., Radus added. The body camera video starts with Williams’ SUV facing backwards on the Anaheim highway. The Fullerton officer can be seen stepping out of his car, gun drawn, and then slowly approaching the vehicle’s driver side. When Williams becomes visible in the frame, she can be seen with both her arms raised in front of her body, in what appears to be a shooting stance. The officer responds by firing his own weapon. As Williams falls to the ground, she drops what appears to be a firearm, which lands on the road nearby. “It’s a replica, it’s a replica,” another officer can be heard saying just moments later. The high school senior and soccer player can be seen begging officers for help throughout the clip, telling them repeatedly that she was unable to breathe. Officers administered medical aid on the scene, which included applying a tourniquet above a gunshot wound on her leg, but Williams later died from her injuries at an area hospital, officers said. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office in a statement earlier this week said a replica Beretta 92 FS was recovered from the scene. About an hour and a half after the fatal encounter, Williams’ father called 911 to report his daughter made off with the family’s rental car and had been missing for several hours. When asked whether he worried that she could be a danger to herself, Benson Williams in audio of the call responds: “I am.” He also said Hannah was on medication for depression. Following the video’s release, attorney Lee Merritt, who had been advocating for transparency on the Williams family’s behalf, faulted authorities for not sharing such details sooner but hoped the teen’s loved ones got “a bit of closure.” Merritt additionally acknowledge Williams’ stance in the video forced the officer to “make a split s
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